Real Madrid start a new La Liga season without Cristiano Ronaldo for the first time in a decade on Sunday.
Thankfully for new coach Julen Lopetegui, a home clash against a limited if stubborn Getafe should ease the club into a new era after the midweek UEFA Super Cup defeat to city rivals Atletico.
Or will it be that simple?
KARIM OF THE CROP
It could work one of two ways for Karim Benzema. The absence of Ronaldo will either unshackle him or defenders will wrap him in extra restraints.
Benzema has done an incredible amount of unselfish work for Ronaldo, providing more assists to CR7 in La Liga than anyone else, but it doesn’t excuse the Frenchman’s goal-shy contributions.
Five league goals in 2017/18 is pitiful by any top striker’s standards and it brings to mind the refrain from Jose Mourinho, who famously lamented having to ‘hunt with a cat’ in Karim instead of a dog in Gonzalo Higuain when the Argentine succumbed to injury.
There is hope though Benzema can get his claws out for the new season – and he must, given there is little competition or even back-up for the central striker role.
Benzema’s best La Liga goalscoring campaign was in 2014/15, when he hit the back of the net 24 times. Promisingly Real mostly lined up in a 4-3-3 – Lopetegui’s weapon of choice thus far – though it was nominal given Ronaldo would nearly always drift in.
Much of his best moments were supplied by Gareth Bale, which could inform success this time around. The Welshman’s penchant for width and ‘weak-footed’ deliveries from the right found the onrushing Benzema many a time.
With Marco Asensio or the ultimate team player in Isco operating from the left, Benzema will get chances. Will he cough up goals or airballs?
BBA OR BB ISCO?
Don’t be fooled – Real’s Super Cup collapse in Tallinn did not signify a passing of the Spanish capital’s torch to Atleti. This would have been a draw over 90 minutes and it was hapless defending more than anything that precipitated Los Blancos’ downfall on the night.
It is important to note though that as soon as Casemiro came off, Diego Costa scored the late equaliser. Lopetegui may be intent on introducing a possession-based system at the Bernabeu but it does not mean he can afford to sideline Real’s stick of defensive dynamite.
His place is assured, even against Getafe, with only little-used Marcos Llorente of a similar ilk among Madrid’s ranks. This carries a knock-on effect to the entire team.
Luka Modric is not yet fit enough to take his place among the starting XI which means Isco and Toni Kroos will accompany Casemiro in a 4-3-3. BBC has turned into BBA with Bale, Benzema and Asensio lining up from right to left in the forward line.
So what happens when Modric is fully fit? There will be rotation without question but in pre-season Asensio, though predominately operating on the left, linked up sumptuously with Bale.
If Isco is the hub of his proposed team, does he sacrifice Asensio when Modric is fit? Or shoehorn him into a No10 role and leave the midfield even more vulnerable? If Asensio fires from the off it’ll be an early conundrum for Lopetegui.
GET SET FOR A TEST
Jose Bordalas set impossible standards on Getafe’s return to La Liga. Eighth place came out of precisely nowhere last season.
Naturally the path to success wasn’t pretty, as Bordalas slapped cement in-between the relatively inferior material at his disposal to make his side incredibly unforgiving.
They conceded just 33 times – the best record of everyone sans Atletico and Barcelona – but barely mustered more than a goal a game on average (42 in 38).
The Madrid minnows have lost few players of real importance over the summer besides midfielder Faycal Fajr, instead investing more than €20 million in net spend. The likes of Mexico defender Oswaldo Alanis and young Serbia anchorman Nemanja Maksimovic fortifies a squad with both quality and depth.
The turnover in personnel may disrupt their rhythm for last season, however – Real may be catching them at a good time.
