Isco struggles again and other talking points from Real Madrid's win over Eibar

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  • Isco is off colour for the Whites.

    Cristiano Ronaldo came to the rescue again as Real Madrid followed up their thumping win over Paris Saint-Germain with a narrow victory against Eibar.

    Ronaldo scored twice, his second six minutes from the end, as Real won 2-1 and avoided another slip-up in La Liga. Ivan Ramis had equalised for Eibar shortly after half-time.

    With Barcelona in action against Malaga later on Saturday (11:45pm UAE time) and Atletico Madrid playing host to Celta Vigo on Sunday (7:15pm), Real closed the gap on their city rivals to four points but are still 12 points off Blaugrana.

    Here, we assess three talking points as Zinedine Zidane’s men can travel back from the northern tip of Spain happy.

    ISCO’S STRUGGLES IN MIDFIELD CONTINUE

    Not many players have the technical ability and playmaking wizardry the Spaniard possesses but the 25-year-old can look pretty ordinary when his confidence levels are low. Saturday was another case in point.

    Zinedine Zidane withdrew the midfielder after a lethargic 71-minute display in which fellow engine room stars Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, both feeling their way back from injury, outshone him.

    Isco wasn’t trusted to start in Tuesday’s Champions League win at the Parc des Princes, and came on with 19 minutes remaining, going some way to showing how much Real’s star of the 2016-17 season has dipped in form.

    The former Malaga man’s control was off and he made just 46 touches on the ball and 30 passes, with both being the fewest out of all Madrid midfielders.

    A suggestion is that Isco has fallen victim to Zidane’s high-press and energetic tactics away from home, which have seen the midfielder chasing and harrying opponents more than ever, but equally, could it be a case that he’s lacking fitness or is just burnt out?

    Isco has completed just 90 minutes five times this season, all of them coming at sporadic intervals in La Liga, while an apparent falling out with captain Sergio Ramos off the pitch has only served to fuel the fire of debate.

    EIBAR, SPAIN - MARCH 10: Daniel Garcia of SD Eibar duels for the ball with Isco Alarcon of Real Madrid during the La Liga match between SD Eibar and Real Madrid at Ipurua Municipal Stadium on March 10, 2018 in Eibar, Spain . (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

    Isco’s not been having a disco in 2018.

    THERE’S NO STOPPING CRISTIANO RONALDO

    With clashes to come early next month against Atletico Madrid and then the Champions League quarter-final, an argument could have been made to rest the club legend yet again, for the third time in five league matches – preserving his premium match sharpness.

    But, then again, Zidane has to be credited for resisting that temptation and continuing to play a man who is just a freak of nature.

    Ronaldo’s rich vein of goalscoring form – 13 goals in his last six matches – has been truly staggering and he doesn’t look like missing.

    Without him, it’s maybe scary to ponder where this team would be with Gareth Bale (90 minutes) and Karim Benzema (20 minute cameo) proving ineffective, short of sharpness and void of any kind of conviction.

    Ronaldo, along with the outstanding Luka Modric in the middle of the park who set up the Portuguese’s first with a gorgeous curling through pass, was the difference against a spirited Eibar side which treated this match as a home cup final.

    It’s amazing to think that the 33-year-old was pretty much written off following the 3-0 league reverse against Barcelona back in December last year but now has 33 goals to his name this season – which is one more than Lionel Messi – and only two back on top European goalscorer Harry Kane.

    Real Madrid's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (R) celebrates with teammates after scoring his team's second goal during the Spanish league football match between Eibar and Real Madrid at the Ipurua stadium in Eibar on March 10, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / ANDER GILLENEA (Photo credit should read ANDER GILLENEA/AFP/Getty Images)

    Club legend: Cristiano Ronaldo.

    DEFENSIVE FRAILTIES STILL THERE

    The early loss of Raphael Varane with a head injury upset Real’s back four but still, seasoned campaigner Nacho came off the bench.

    It didn’t matter much – Madrid were fragile and guilty of overplaying in the backline – taking plenty of chances by passing the ball across their own penalty area and back to Keylor Navas in tight areas.

    The Whites have won eight out of the past 10 matches in La Liga but shipped goals regularly in that period and looked susceptible to crosses into the box.

    PSG’s bundled equaliser in the Champions League in Paris was more proof of that as Zidane’s side failed to deal with a routine centre and the second ball which fell to Edinson Cavani.

    On Saturday, Sergio Ramos switched off completely and didn’t enjoy his finest afternoon for the visitors.

    The 31-year-old completely lost both the flight of the ball and his man Ivan Ramis from a second-half corner as the veteran defender headed home unmarked.

    But for Ronaldo’s clinical instincts in front of goal, that slip-up should have proved costly and Eibar deserved something from a match in which they poured their heart and soul into.

    It was another timely reminder that Madrid may not enjoy the same such defensive fortune in the latter stages of the Champions League, with the Basque minnows cutting Real open easily and managing 12 shots on goal throughout.

    EIBAR, SPAIN - MARCH 10: Kike Garcia of SD Eibar duels for the ball with Sergio Ramos of Real Madrid during the La Liga match between SD Eibar and Real Madrid at Ipurua Municipal Stadium on March 10, 2018 in Eibar, Spain . (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

    Off day: Whites captain Sergio Ramos.

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