Vitoria-Gasteiz: Karim Benzema took where he left last season by scoring two goals to fire Real Madrid to a 4-1 victory to the Alaves in the opening game of their Laliga campaign.
Real had a boring first round in Carlo Ancelotti’s first league match since taking over the club for the second time but Benzema finished their nerves by blowing up the ball into the net in the 48th minute after being upgraded by Eden Hazard.
Defender Nacho Fernandez added a real advantage eight minutes later, sliding in to pierce Luka Modric through the ball into the goal from close range.
Benzema scored the second goal in the 62nd minute but a few moments later dug back when Josefer striker perforated in a penalty after a violation by goalkeeper Courtois.
Substitute Vinicius Jr added the last goal for visitors in termination of time, ran with a diving header when he met the cross of David Alaba’s debutant.
The French striker Benzema was a real prominent player last season with 23 league attacks, more than a third of the team’s goal, and his form made him withdraw to French forces for the first time in six years.
Ancelotti admired Benzema’s performance and said he was a better player than when he trained it in Real between 2013 and 2015, when the Frenchman was more supportive striker for Cristiano Ronaldo.
“To call Benzema only a striker does not make him justice.
He is a very complete player, far more complete than five years ago,” Italian coach said.
“He is the person who completed our movements, but he also read the game well.” Italy also criticized his team for their early sluggish but happy with how they improved after halftime.
“Our first round is a little slow when we have balls and when we don’t have it, we need to press with further intensity, the game is slow and not that we want,” he added.
“But we are much better in the second half, we show more intensity and have more quality.” Real had to play in front of fans for the first time in a league match since March 2020 although less than 4,000 spectators were permitted to become the Mendizorrotza Alaves Stadium because of the restrictions on the regional government koronavirus.
Some supporters who attended were almost given early treatment when midfielder Pere Pons pounced loose balls in the area but failed to kick the crossbar.
Alaves also requested a penalty in the first half against Lucas Vazquez Real when he blocked a cross even though the referee correctly decided that the ball hit his chest rather arms.
Madrid marched with three in front of Benzema, Hazard and Gareth Bale, who made Laliga back after spending last season with a loan at Tottenham Hotspur.
The danger will hardly go in two seasons real but look sharp while Bale has several attempts to goal without causing goalkeeper Fernando Pacheco too much trouble.