Valerenga vs. Real Madrid: Score and Reaction from 2015 Pre-Season Friendly

Real Madrid struggled to a 0-0 draw with Norwegian side Valerenga on Sunday in their penultimate pre-season game of the summer.

The game staged in Oslo was an opportunity for Rafa Benitez’s side to move through the gears ahead of the start of the La Liga campaign in two weeks. But Los Blancos were unimpressive for the majority of the match and unable to breach a makeshift Valerenga side.

Here’s the team that was selected by the Spanish giants, with the most intriguing factor being Jese Rodriguez's deployment as a centre-forward from the off, per the team’s official Twitter feed:

"

Ødegaard: "It was great to come home to play, to greet everyone and play against the team's fans."

— SocialRMadrid (@SocialRMadrid) August 9, 2015"

With their domestic campaign underway, the Tippeligaen outfit also mixed up their team selection, per Phil Kitromilides of Real Madrid TV:

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Benitez: "We missed players in attack that are responsible for scoring many goals, but the team has played positively today."

— SocialRMadrid (@SocialRMadrid) August 9, 2015"

There was little to get excited about for either side in a first half that was short on chances. Despite the strong side Benitez sent out on the pitch, Real lacked fluidity in their attacking play and were unable to assert themselves on their less illustrious opponents.

Although there was a buzz in the crowd when Norwegian starlet Martin Odegaard got on the ball, Gareth Bale was the man looking most likely to make something happen for Real.

He roamed across the front line in typically menacing fashion, creating openings with his blistering dribbling. But Valerenga were comfortable enough for much of the first 45 minutes, conceding no clear-cut chances to the esteemed visitors.

With Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema both absent, Real were in desperate need of a creative spark in midfield, as the referee called time on an arduous first period, per AS English:

The first-half display would have been a concern for Benitez. After all, this was the penultimate game of Real’s pre-season and even with a few key faces absent, these players should have proved too overwhelming for the Norwegian side, who themselves had named an XI that was a few shades removed from their very best.

Kerstin Joensson/Associated Press

A raft of changes at the start of the second period didn’t aid Real in their quest for rhythm. There was one moment to savour, though, as Benitez withdrew Odegaard early in the second period; the Norwegian sensation received a rapturous reception from his compatriots in attendance.

SocialRMadrid were impressed with the teenager’s display but encouraged him to show a little more confidence in possession:

Without the local favourite, Real looked even more pedestrian going forward. Dani Carvajal, introduced as a second-half substitute, looked the biggest attacking threat from right-back as he linked up well with Lucas Vazquez on the flank and put in some industrious surges forward.

But they were to no avail, as, aside from a long-range effort from Bale, Los Blancos struggled to adequately test the Valerenga goalkeeper.

Denis Doyle/Getty Images

Another bright spark in the second period was Denis Cheryshev, who was introduced at half-time. He was probing the Valerenga defence throughout the half and the best chance of the game fell to the Russian international in the 78th minute.

But Sascha Burchert was on hand to parry his strong left-footed strike, and from that point on, Real were unable to create anything of note, with the game finishing goalless. 

This wasn’t a display that will get Madridistas too excited about the new season getting underway. Players that you’d imagine would be on the fringes of the Real first team failed to capitalize on their opportunities to impress, as, for the second game in a row, the XI struggled to find any attacking ingenuity.

The performance will have done little to quell worries that Benitez’s pragmatic principles may nullify the attacking quality Real have. It’s early yet, but the manner in which they toiled against a depleted Valerenga side certainly doesn’t bode well with the La Liga opener against Sporting Gijon now just a fortnight away.

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Benitez admitted afterward that even though his team was missing key men, he was expecting more from his players, per SocialRMadrid:

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Ødegaard definitely has the qualities, only the believe is missing.

— SocialRMadrid (@SocialRMadrid) August 9, 2015"

Odegaard revealed he had enjoyed being back on home soil but was also disappointed with the result, per SocialRMadrid:

JOHANNES EISELE/Getty Images