Dreams Dashed and Hopes Ignited: Real Madrid Conquer Leganés

 

A chilly Sunday afternoon at Butarque saw the home crowd in high spirits, sensing an opportunity against a doubtful Real Madrid side. Ancelotti, with an eye on the upcoming Champions League clash vs Liverpool, opted for an experimental 4-4-2 line-up: Valverde at right-back, Asensio at centre-back, and the young Güler in attacking midfield. This formation aimed to provide defensive solidity while unleashing Güler's creativity alongside Bellingham. 

 

Leganés, meanwhile, countered with a compact 5-4-1: Dmitrovic; Altimira, Sergio Gómez, Nastasic, Javi Hernández; Tapia, Neyou; Juan Cruz, Brasanac, Munir; Miguel. Their game plan was clear: disciplined defending and swift counterattacks.

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Real Madrid dominated possession early on, but their play lacked its usual sharpness. Mbappé, deployed on the left wing, found his progress repeatedly blocked by the resolute Altimira. In the 10th minute, a flowing move involving Vinicius and Mbappé saw the Frenchman find the net, only to be denied by a marginal offside call. 

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Leganés, unfazed by Madrid's early dominance, maintained their shape and discipline. In the 21st minute they carved out a glorious opportunity when Munir, spotting Courtois off his line, unleashed a thunderous strike from distance that cannoned off the crossbar. The near miss served as a wake-up call for Real Madrid, who responded by increasing the tempo.

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Güler, with his audacious dribbling and vision, emerged as the creative spark in the visitors' attack. In the 25th minute, he received a pass from Ceballos, weaved his way past Munir and Javi Hernández with a mesmerising dribble, before unleashing a curling effort that forced a superb save from Dmitrovic. 

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The game settled into a pattern of Real Madrid dominance and resolute Leganés defending. In the 35th minute, a surging run from Vinicius down the left flank ended with the Brazilian tumbling under a challenge from Altimira inside the box. Vinicius vehemently appealed for a penalty, but referee Alberola Rojas remained unmoved. VAR, to the dismay of the Real Madrid players, also saw no reason to intervene.

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Just as the first half appeared to be petering out to a goalless stalemate, the deadlock was broken in the 43rd minute. A lapse in concentration from Altimira while playing out from the back proved costly. Under pressure from Camavinga, the Leganés defender was dispossessed by the alert Bellingham, who quickly released Vinicius. The Brazilian, with electrifying pace, burst into the penalty area and squared the ball for Mbappé to apply a simple finish (0-1). The goal, arriving just before the break, was a cruel blow for the home side.

Real Madrid emerged for the second half determined to put the game to bed. Ancelotti, seeking to add more penetration to his attack, shifted Vinicius to the left wing and granted Mbappé more freedom to roam. Leganés, needing to chase the game, pushed their defensive line higher, leaving spaces at the back.

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Real Madrid's second goal arrived in the 66th minute, courtesy of a stunning strike from Valverde. The move originated from a free-kick. Ceballos rolled the ball to Güler, who, with a delicate touch, teed up Valverde. The Uruguayan unleashed a ferocious shot that whizzed past Dmitrovic and into the net. The Leganés’ wall, poorly positioned, was helpless. 

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With the game seemingly secured, Ancelotti took the opportunity to give Brahim, Modric and Endrick some valuable game time. Güler, Mbappé and Bellingham were withdrawn, affording them a rest ahead of the crucial Champions League encounter. Despite the two-goal deficit, Leganés refused to surrender and continued to probe for a way back into the match. However, their lack of precision in the final third meant they were unable to trouble Courtois.

 

The final goal of the game arrived in the 85th minute. A Modric corner caused chaos in the Leganés penalty area. Brahim, with an acrobatic volley, crashed the ball against the crossbar. The rebound fell kindly to Bellingham, who nodded the ball into the net to seal a 3-0 victory for Real Madrid. In the closing stages, Leganés continued to press forward but the Real Madrid defence, marshalled by the commanding Rüdiger, held firm.