Real Madrid struggled to a narrow 1-0 away victory over La Liga minnows Huesca owing to a fine strike from Gareth Bale and some desperate defending.
The Madrid winger scored his first league goal in 10 games to give his side the lead in the eighth minute.
Despite taking aim a few more times during the encounter, Bale was kept from adding to his tally while Santiago Solari’s side ended up clinging onto their slender lead as the hosts piled on the pressure in the closing stages.
Here, we look at three talking points from the game.
BALE ENDS DROUGHT
Sunday marked 100 days since Bale’s last goal in La Liga and the Welshman ensured the count ended there with a well-struck volley early into proceedings.
The former Tottenham winger has struggled for form, scoring just twice in his previous 12 games for Madrid in all competitions. It was a goal Bale desperately needed and seemed to have an instant impact on his overall play.
He only grew in stature as the game progressed and probably should’ve had at least another goal to his name. Instead, he forced a couple of outstanding saves from Huesca keeper Aleksandar Jovanovic with all four of his efforts finding the target.
His pace and strength in attack was a constant threat, reminiscent of his early season form.
The 29-year-old is a popular scapegoat among the Los Merengues fan base but it’s hard to visualise an effective Madrid revival in this La Liga campaign without a significant improvement on his behalf. The good news for Solari and his side is that this performance was a sizeable step in that direction.
WILL THE REAL LUKA MODRIC PLEASE STAND UP?
Lionel Messi has nothing to prove but his masterful two-goal performance away to Espanyol seemed like a strong statement after being ranked fifth in this year’s Ballon d’Or.
The winner of the prestigious award however, is yet to impress this season. Luka Modric was excellent but only in patches for Los Blancos as they won a fourth Champions League crown in five years last season.
While he undoubtedly excelled during Croatia’s run to the World Cup final in the summer, his underwhelming outings for Madrid this term are hardly befitting of someone who proudly holds the title as the world’s best player.
At El Alcoraz, the Croat was again anonymous, simply going through the motions as his side struggled to dispatch their bottom-placed opponents, eventually being replaced by Isco with 66 minutes played.
At the time of his ejection, Modric had the seventh-most touches among Madrid’s players (38) and only six more than Thibaut Courtois (32).
Yes, the 33-year-old has missed regular midfield partners Toni Kroos and Casemiro but that’s precisely why Solari’s team needs him to step up and dictate play. So far this campaign, he’s looked well off the pace.
Luka Modric (L).
HUESCA USE THEIR HEADS
Madrid came away from El Alcoraz with a clean sheet but even the most ardent of their supporters would agree it was never a certainty until the referee blew the final whistle.
Huesca, for their part, can feel a little aggrieved having asked questions of the visiting defence and pushing them all the way. The hosts had 11 shots to Madrid’s five over the course of the encounter, creating enough chances to warrant an equaliser at the very least.
Their illustrious guests had to call upon Courtois to rescue them with a couple of fine saves while their defence struggled to maintain a consistent defensive line and regularly looked vulnerable to Huesca’s waves of aerial assaults in the closing stages.
Alvaro Odriozola, for his industrious runs forward and assist for Bale’s goal, was the weak link at the back. The bulk of Huesca’s attacks were focused down the young right-back’s flank. He was run ragged by David Ferreiro who was allowed to whip in 13 crosses, more than the rest of his team combined (10).
In the end, the away side managed to cling on to a slender 1-0 lead with some desperate defending at the death when Huesca seemed likely to score from every ball into the box.
Madrid needed Thibaut Courtois to rescue them.
