Real Madrid did not show any weakness against the penultimate team: After the 2-0 win over Granada, Kroos was the talk of the town alongside the almost unstoppable Rodrygo
Real Madrid are getting more and more into their stride as the year draws to a close. The Whites celebrated their sixth win from the last seven games on Saturday evening, keeping a clean sheet for the eighth time this season at home against penultimate-placed Granada.
Granada came to the Bernabeu with a new coach, Alexander Medina having taken over in Andalusia just last Monday. His team were nasty in tackles right from the start and persistent in their attempts to work their opponents off the ball. Bellingham lost his nerve after just 22 minutes and was yellow-carded for yet another grumble.
Shortly afterwards, Kroos provided the first highlight of the game, delighting his teammates and bringing the Bernabeu to its feet: The 2014 world champion played an ingenious and soulful one-two with Brahim Diaz, who found himself free in front of Granada’s keeper and fired in to make it 1-0 (26′). Raul Fernandez, who had started the game between the posts for Granada, was already in the showers by then – André Ferreira came in for the stricken 35-year-old. Instead of the goalscorer, his teammates flocked to Kroos after his outstanding assist. Brahim Diaz also played the role of “shoeshine boy”
Bellingham came close to scoring his next La Liga goal before the break, but after Brahim Diaz’s chipped assist, the Englishman shot just wide of the right-hand corner (42′).
Zaragoza has to leave the pitch injured
After the break, Granada had to do more offensively, but the Andalusians disappointed across the board. It was only logical that they made it 2-0: Bellingham missed his next big chance after a long run of play, but Rodrygo – as so often these days – was in the right place to fire home (57′). It was the in-form Brazilian’s fifth goal in the last three league games.
Things got even worse for Granada in the final half-hour: Zaragoza, who has been outstanding this season and was even being courted by Leipzig as Forsberg’s successor, hit his thigh after a sprint and was sent off in the 83rd minute. The final word belonged to high-flyer Paz, but his shot flew just wide of the goal (90′).
Real defend their lead at the top of the table with a well-deserved home win – Girona, who are now level on points again, briefly overtook them in the afternoon with a 2-1 win against Valencia. The leading duo in La Liga can look ahead to Sunday evening’s clash between Barcelona and Atletico with no worries
