Week 20: Real Madrid 5-1 Sporting Gijon
Second game for Zidane as head of the Real Madrid first team and second spectacular victory. For the second consecutive time, Real Madrid has scored five goals and the BBC trio seems to respond very well to the coaching change. Benzene and Cristiano Ronaldo scored another brace and Bale finished it off. Pressure is tight atop of la Liga BBVA standings.
Zidane spoke to the press after the game:
“We played very well in the first half. We were really switched on and concentrating from the off. We prepared well and we’re happy with how the game went. The first half was spectacular”.
We played against Sporting, we’ll see what happens against other teams. The first half was fantastic and if we can keep this up it will be difficult for the opponents, but we always respect the other teams When I took over this team I knew what I had. It’s a fantastic start. Scoring five goals twice is not easy. I know what we can do and what we are going to do in the future. We are only at the beginning, I have high hopes for this team. We want to win games and a trophy at the end of the season”.
On the BBC trio (Bale, Benzema, Cristiano)
“It shows that they’re playing well. I’m very happy with the work of all three of them, not only with the ball. They’ve worked a lot in defence for the team and that’s the most important for me. Offensively we’re always going to cause the opposition problems with the ball, but defensively the work of the whole team has been impressive.
When we don’t have the ball it’s our turn to defend. We play 11 against 11. What the front three are doing is really good. The important thing is to maintain this level of concentration and improve on what we have done through hard work. They are convinced that if we defend and we run together it will be easier for everyone. We’re going to have some difficult games as the season goes on.
“You can always improve, but the first half was spectacular today in everything: our play, our work in defence…Physically we have to improve a lot and we’re going to work hard to be better. We’ve only been together two weeks. We want to win games, but above all win them at the end of the season which is when titles are decided”.