Valerenga vs. Real Madrid: Lessons Learned from Pre-Season Friendly

Real Madrid played to a 0-0 draw with Valerenga in Oslo, Norway, on Sunday in their penultimate pre-season friendly. 

Despite being without the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Sergio Ramos, Rafa Benitez's men appeared to have enough talent in the squad to take care of the Norwegian side. However, a valiant effort from Valerenga goalkeeper Sascha Burchert kept the hosts in the match. 

The second half witnessed a slew of substitutions from each side, but the same pattern of play remained, as Burchert made a few big saves to stop the Real Madrid players from scoring. 

Continue reading to see what we learned from the scoreless draw at the Ullevaal Stadion. 

Gareth Bale Didn't Impress with the Spotlight on Him

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Without Ronaldo and Benzema in the Real Madrid squad for the trip to Norway, the pressure was on Gareth Bale to turn into the top provider in attack. 

Although he did combine well with Marcelo and James Rodriguez on a few occasions in the first half, the Welshman was unable to make an imprint on the scoreboard.

Ultimately, a player such as Bale will be judged by his goal output, even in a pre-season friendly. If you use that logic to break down Sunday's match, he failed to get the job done. Sure, Benitez may have been impressed with his movement and ability to combine in the attacking buildup, but Bale could not consistently challenge Burchert in the Valerenga net. 

The good news for Bale is this is still pre-season. However, if Los Blancos are missing Ronaldo, Benzema or James at some point in the domestic campaign, Bale will be expected to do much more than he did on Sunday.

Valerenga's Form and Discipline Were on Display Throughout the Match

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Unlike Real Madrid's other pre-season opponents, Valerenga are currently in the middle of their club season. 

Given their recent strong spell of form in the Tippeligaen, it did not come as a surprise that Kjetil Rekdal's side settled into the contest and displayed defensive discipline. Even though most of the players on the pitch weren't first-team regulars, you could tell everyone who lined up had been through months of training and hard-fought matches. 

In the second half, Valerenga even received a boost in attack thanks to the entrance of Jamaica international Deshorn Brown. Although the former Colorado Rapids man didn't contribute anything significant in the chance department, he did give the back four some time to breathe with runs forward in the second 45 minutes.

Although the result means nothing to the either side in regard to standing in the table, it will boost the confidence of the Norwegian side before they plunge back into league play.

Real Madrid Missed the Presence of Isco in Midfield

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Even with Luka Modric, James and Casemiro lined up in midfield to start the match, Real Madrid seemed to be lacking that extra attacking punch they usually carry behind the three forwards.

James worked well to set up a few attacks with Marcelo on the left wing, and Casemiro displayed a few bright spots, but the extra burst of creativity we are used to seeing from Los Blancos was lacking. 

That same theme carried over to the second half, when Toni Kroos and Asier Illarramendi entered the match. With Illarramendi in something of a holding role, Kroos should have been able to dictate the match to some degree, but the German was silent for most of his 45-minute shift.

Luckily for Real Madrid, this problem can be solved by inserting Isco back into the lineup when the games matter. However, just like the situation involving Bale alluded to earlier, Real Madrid may be stuck in this predicament again if Isco is not fit at any point in the season.

Los Blancos Were Too 1-Sided Approaching the Penalty Area

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The good news for Real Madrid is they saw good things from both wings when building up the attack on Sunday. The bad news is only one set of wing players thrived in each half. 

Throughout the first half, Marcelo bossed the flank in search of creating chances. No matter who was near the Brazilian, he tried to link up with them to try to break down the Valerenga back four. 

When Benitez made his large group of substitutes in the second half, the attacking impetus shifted to the right wing thanks to Dani Carvajal and Lucas Vazquez. The pair combined for a few dangerous-looking attacks early in the half before they faded away from the match.

Even when Carvajal's impact was diminished, Marco Asensio and Vazquez surged down the right flank in search of creating the one attempt needed for a breakthrough.

Had Real Madrid been more balanced from the start of each half, they would have been less predictable and may have broken down the Valerenga defense and left Norway with a victory.

Denis Cheryshev Was the Best 2nd-Half Substitute

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One of the few talking points to come out of the match was the play of second-half substitute Denis Cheryshev. 

The 24-year-old Russian, who has spent time out on loan at Sevilla and Villarreal over the last two years, did not lack confidence as he rushed toward goal in an attempt to break the deadlock. 

His brightest spell of the contest came midway through the second half when he put a shot on goal and tried an audacious overhead kick from the top of the box. Although his shot from distance and his acrobatic display failed to seriously test Burchert, the pair of attempts did show us Cheryshev has plenty of confidence running through his veins.

One has to think if Cheryshev continues to impress, there will be a role for him in the squad as Real Madrid take on their normal busy schedule domestically and in the UEFA Champions League. 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.