Real Madrid vs. Sporting Gijon: Winners and Losers from La Liga
Zinedine Zidane's golden start to life as Real Madrid manager continued as he watched Los Blancos sweep Sporting Gijon away 5-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday.
All five of the hosts' goals were netted in the first half, with Gareth Bale opening the scoring and Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo adding two each to end the match as a contest. Sporting fought back in the second period and nabbed one of their own via Isma Lopez, but they never came close to threatening a real comeback.
"Madrid have great virtues as a team, but we let them play much too comfortably in the first half," Sporting manager Abelardo Fernandez admitted after the game (h/t ESPNFC's Dermot Corrigan).
Here, B/R picks its winners and losers from the game.
Winner: Isco, Real Madrid
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Ahead of Zinedine Zidane’s inception as Real Madrid manager, Isco looked all set to leave the club due to a lack of playing time. He and Rafa Benitez fell out, and transfer links abounded in December.
But things have changed now. Zidane has put an arm round Isco’s shoulder and started him in both games so far. This performance had all the hallmarks of the silky, smooth attacking talent we know is in there.
Isco’s scooped assist for Karim Benzema’s second goal was divine, and Isco showed some lovely touches throughout. One cutting pass for Cristiano Ronaldo in the first half drew gasps—only for the Portuguese footballer to be ruled offside.
He's certainly the in-form No. 10 in the squad and will continue to get the nod if he keeps this up.
Winner: Dani Carvajal, Real Madrid
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Despite Dani Carvajal’s obvious excellence, Real Madrid decided to spend a big chunk of money on Danilo last summer and shore up the right-back position further. It clouded exactly who was first-choice in a position that didn’t feel like it needed upgrading.
Danilo enjoyed more playing time under Rafa Benitez (though Carvajal was injured to begin the season), but under Zinedine Zidane, Carvajal has been given the nod. He’s repaid the faith with a good performance against Deportivo la Coruna and a great one against Sporting Gijon.
His runs and presence on the right side caused Sporting all manner of issues, with his crossing creating chances and his clever passing tormenting Isma Lopez.
Loser: James Rodriguez, Real Madrid
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Full disclosure: It’s tough to find losers in such a game. Real Madrid destroyed Sporting Gijon in the first half with an immaculate display, and the visitors did as well as perhaps expected given the juggernaut they faced.
But James Rodriguez, who is currently a bench option for Zinedine Zidane, did very little to convince anyone he should be starting. In fact, in the 30 minutes he was on the pitch, the most notable thing he did was unintentionally kick Karim Benzema, forcing him to withdraw from play, per BBC Sport.
Late substitutions ruined Madrid's flow, and the attacking performance tailed off on the whole. But James couldn't stamp his mark down. He cannot expect to start ahead of Isco for the next game and will have to continue to bide his time outside the starting XI.
Winner: Dani Ndi, Sporting Gijon
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Dani Ndi entered the fray at half-time, replacing the impressive Alen Halilovic. Given the Croatian had engineered a few chances and should have been awarded a penalty after drawing a foul from Raphael Varane in the box, it felt as though Ndi would have to play very well to justify his place.
It was just Ndi's fifth appearance this season, per WhoScored.com, but he showed no fear and more than proved manager Abelardo Fernandez correct for sending him on. He gave Sporting an outlet in midfield to play, made his presence felt in starting counter-attacks and pushed forward with purpose.
It was far from a perfect performance. There were a few rogue touches here and there—but Sporting won the second half 1-0, and Ndi's presence levelled the battle.
Winner & Loser: Gareth Bale, Real Madrid
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Gareth Bale was one of the best players on the pitch during the first half, with his direct running and clever movement causing Sporting Gijon fits and opening space for Dani Carvajal to use.
His headed goal opened the scoring, and although the marking was poor, it was still a great run, leap and finish. It was no less than his performance deserved.
But just before half-time, Bale hit the turf due to a recurrent calf injury, according to the Mirror's Ed Malyon. Bale did not reappear after the break. As B/R's Karl Matchett points out, his form has been stellar, and he's been on his "best run of the season."
Bale's absence is a real blow for Zinedine Zidane—and a blow for the player himself, whose calf is starting to become a bit of a worry.
