Match Reports

Day 10 of La Liga brought the mighty Real Madrid to Malaga. Although it was the 7th November, it was a hot 25C during the afternoon but with the kick-off at 19:00h I thought it might be prudent to take a jersey with me in case it got a little cooler in the evening - I didn't need it.
Last week, my son, Denis, and I went through to Sevilla to watch the Real Betis - Malaga match. This was a match full of incident - eight bookings, a man sent off for both teams, an intriguing clash of dissimilar playing styles (Betis being an 11 men behind the ball, get it to the forwards who were three fast and both accurate at passing and shooting, classic counter-attack style; Malaga, the passing team, patiently building from the back, with clever midfielders searching out the forwards with incisive passing, in a more attack-minded formation) in front of a passionate 40,000 crowd. The final score was a draw 1-1, Betis scoring after only 6 minutes, catching the Malaga defence on the hop with their quick movement and passing from right to left with right winger Joaquin prominent before Oliviera blasted home from 6 yards. Malaga's response was on the cusp of half-time, with unusually a free-kick outside the box not taken by Duda but by Gerardo, whose powerful kick flew over the wall and left the keeper with no chance as it entered the net close by the near post.
There was controversy after the game as it became clear that an injustice had been done to Romero, who received his marching orders for a second yellow card after supposedly fouling Edu, the Betis's Brazilian midfielder. However, TV evidence showed that there had been no contact between the players, that Edu had in fact tripped over a blade of grass, so the card was rescinded, allowing Romero to play in the Real Madrid match.
But to yesterday's game. An almost capacity La Roseleda, with the 8000 non-season-ticket seats selling between 100-150 euros at the ticket office, there were some spaces, but not many. There was a fantastic atmosphere in the ground with much banging of drums, flags and banners, singing and chanting. Real Madrid's players were greeted with whistles and jeers as they came onto the pitch, whereas Malaga's men were welcomed with a ticker tape flourish.
Malaga had captain Fernando Sanz back from suspension, but the Portuguese winger/striker, Edgar, had only a place on the bench after being out for three weeks with a leg injury. This meant that Manu, who had a good outing the previous week at Betis, retained his right wing slot. The big surprise was that left wing maestro Duda was left out of the starting line-up, with Manager Manzano, preferring a more solid midfield trio of Michel Angel, Romero and Leko to stifle the creativity of the prodigious talents of the Real Madrid team.
Malaga (4-4-1-1): Calatayud, Gerardo, Fernando Sanz, Juanito, Valcarce, Manu, Michel Angel, Romero, Leko, Amoroso and Wanchope.
There was some great anticipation as to who would feature in the Madrid line-up, but we knew beforehand that David Beckham would not feature, nor the central defender Samuel, still recovering from injury. Would Michael Owen feature in the starting line-up?
Real Madrid (4-2-3-1): Casillas, Salgado, Helguera, Pavon, Roberto Carlos, Guti, Celades, Raul, Figo, Zidane, Ronaldo.
The legendary side from Madrid were playing in their all-black away strip, with essentially four strikers!
Wanchope kicked off for Malaga to start the game and in a fast and furious opening few minutes the tactics of both sides became clear. Both teams were committed to attack from the start and it was fascinating to watch Raul start wide on the right touchline, Figo central behind Ronaldo with Zidane wide on the left. Next minute, seamlessly, Zidane was central, Figo wide right with Raul on the left. Next minute Zidane was making runs down the right wing - and so it went on throughout the game with each of the three players interchanging and all looking comfortable whichever position they were in and always seeming to know where to find each other. Impossible to man-mark this team!
Malaga on the other hand operated with Romero lurking behind Michel Angel and Leko, with Manu wide right and Amoroso just behind the giant that is Wanchope. There was a big gap down the left wing where Duda was missing, but this was the secret tactic - with no left winger to defend against, Salgado was sucked into the middle of the field, leaving Valcarce oceans of space to overlap into and time and time again he was able to make penetrating runs and crosses from the left wing. The other ploy was to use the pace of Manu to exploit the gaps left at left-back for Madrid where Roberto Carlos is keen to depart to add his contribution to the attack.
In fact it was Roberto Carlos who first had a shot on target after 6 minutes receiving a clever pass from Figo, before releasing a trademark drive at goal, but Calatayud was alive to the danger to make the save look easy.
In 9 minutes, Roberto Carlos almost opened the scoring at the other end, heading strongly back towards Casillas from a great left wing cross from Valcarce, with Manu rushing in to meet it, which had Spain's Number 1 forced to make a good save.
In 12 minutes, the first showing from Ronaldo in front of goal, but his header went wide after a strong cross from Salgado. Then two minutes later Raul saw his effort go wide from 20 yards after some neat work by Figo.
In 17 minutes, the centre of the park opened up as Romero ran with the ball unchallenged into, what is for him, nosebleed territory. The Madrid defence kept waiting for the pass, but Romero elected to shoot from 20 yards, but it flew over the bar.
In 22 minutes, Raul playing centrally slipped the ball to Zidane, now out on the left. He advances into the very outside corner of the penalty box to be met by Gerardo. Zidane did a little shuffle which seemed to baffle the Malaga right back, who stuck out a foot for the ball, for Zidane to fall over. Penalty! Malaga fans are not happy at such a soft decision but it did not prevent FIGO from executing a perfect spot kick.
Malaga 0 Real Madrid 1
With the Malaga heads still down two minutes later, Ronaldo slips past Fernando Sanz to go one on one with the keeper but the hard driven shot went just wide of the far post.
In 28 minutes, Amoroso showed some of his excellent ball skills to collect the ball in mid-air and bring the ball down and pass to Leko, all in one elegant movement. The Croatian's shot is blocked but comes to Wanchope whose fierce drive brings out an excellent diving save from Casillas, who turned the ball out for a corner. Manu's corner drops to Romero who again blasts over the bar.
Amoroso is beginning to shine for Malaga with his touches and skill as the home team start to dominate in midfield. In 34 minutes, Guti is booked for bringing the Brazilian down whilst in full flight.
After 39 minutes, Gerardo becomes the first Malaga player in the book for a foul on Figo.
Halftime 0-1
Upon the restart, Malaga start where they left off and a great sweeping move involving several short interpasses, ends with Manu's final pass just too strong for Amoroso eight yards out.
In 49 minutes, Figo is booked for kicking the ball away as the men in black struggle to get back into the game.
Next minute, Romero's name is in the book for a foul on Guti on the centre line.
In 51 minutes, the threat from the Madrid side returns when Ronaldo releases Raul who is through on goal. However, his shot goes just wide.
In 53 minutes, after Fernando Sanz trips Ronaldo 40 yards out, we get a chance to see a Roberto Carlos freekick. His long run up starts almost from the centre line and his strong low shot evades the twenty players in front of him, but Calatayud only had to watch as the ball sailed wide.
Malaga storm back two minutes later with a great run down the right by Manu, whose cross finds Amoroso, but the shot is blocked. Wanchope then has a great chance but he is crowded out as he tries to get the ball clear for a shot. Figo, back defending, is happy to clear the ball away anywhere, to break up the attack.
In 57 minutes, Wanchope is booked for a needless foul on Guti, who has assumed control in midfield and seems to be everywhere.
Ronaldo starts a run in 60 minutes, but is held by Juanito who becomes the fourth Malaga name so far to be inserted in the book.
Two minutes later, Malaga are still trying to get a way back into the game with the skilful Amoroso finding Wanchope, but the giant Costa Rican shoots straight at Casillas.
The next minute Valcarce finds Amoroso who this time tries a shot which has Casillas scrambling across the goal to turn the ball around the post.
This was to be Amoroso's last effort as in 66 minutes he and Romero were replaced by Edgar and Duda respectively as Manzano brings fresh legs and more pace onto the field in an effort to find the equaliser.
Malaga are still reorganising after the double substitution when Ronaldo latches onto a through ball and puts Raul clear, but the Madrid number 7 shoots straight at Calatayud.
In 69 minutes, Ronaldo comes off as Michael Owen is introduced to the game.
Edgar is proving to be a menace to the Madrid defence with his strong direct running and comes close with his first effort. However, tragedy for the Portuguese as he goes down clutching his leg whilst on a run on his own with the ball in 71 minutes and has to go off with a suspected hamstring injury, after only 5 minutes on the field. He is replaced by Swiss international striker, Giejo.
Michael Owen's pace and directness is a new dimension for the all-blacks and in 77 minutes shows some nifty footwork on the right wing before releasing Figo, but the Portugal captain's shot is parried away fro a corner by Calatayud.
The next minute, the favour is returned by Figo and this time OWEN makes no mistake from eight yards to score his fifth goal in five games for Real Madrid.
Malaga 0 Real Madrid 2
Straight afterwards, Figo is replaced by Argentinean left winger Solari.
In 80 minutes Giejo is brought down in the box, but despite loud appeals, no penalty is given.
Manu tries a shot in the following minute, but it has no power and is dealt with easily.
In 82 minutes, Michel Angel, showing signs of frustration, becomes the fifth Malaga player in the book for a foul on Zidane.
In 83 minutes, Real Madrid make their final substitution with the tall striker Morientes coming on for Raul.
In the final six minutes, it was all Malaga as they tried to get something from the game. First Wanchope shot just wide after the chance was created by a crossfield move involving Manu and Duda. Then Manu dribbled past three defenders to get into the box only to see his shot hit the side netting. Then after a great run in from the left by Duda, the little Portuguese winger's shot was blocked by Salgado. From the resultant corner, Casillas is again forced to scramble across his goalmouth to make another fine save.
Full time Malaga 0 Real Madrid 2
Although Malaga did not play badly and created a number of scoring opportunities, in the end it was the sheer class of Real Madrid that won the day. For me it was fantastic to see so many world class players on view and having to play at the top of their form.
After Deportivo in the previous home game, then Real Madrid this time, it does not get any easier with the next visitors being Valencia, three of the so called "top four" in Spain (the fourth of course being Barcelona).
Looking forward to it already as your Malaga CF Correspondent will be there!