Real Madrid were on the up and desperate to seal victory after a midweek 4-2 win over Girona in the Copa del Rey, following a crucial win over Sevilla last weekend in La Liga. Against Espanyol, they got off to the perfect start with Karim Benzemas opener, with Sergio Ramos powerful header making it 2-0 before Leo Baptistao pulled one back.
Benzema scored again before the break, with returning substitute Gareth Bale adding one of his own in the second half. Roberto Rosales capitalised when Raphael Varane was dismissed and gave Espanyol hope against 10 man Real Madrid, though they would go down in Santiago Solaris teams second 4-2 win in a week. Here, our tactical analysis will use statistics to identify what key points Real Madrid can take from the game.
Karim Benzema: Leader
If there was one thing to remember from the trip to Catalonia, it was the performance of Benzema. Stepping up to become the leader, he not only donned the captains armband in the second half but also led the way with his quality on the ball. The Frenchman scored two crucial goals, the first a natural poachers finish and the second after bringing the ball from deep before adding a clinical finish at the far post.
It was one of the greatest individual displays that Los Blancos have seen all season. Benzema registered his second highest xG of the campaign and completing more passes than in any other fixture in 2019. Majestic in attack, he dragged the Espanyol defence from pillar to post and was key to disrupting their very early attempts to sit deep.
As he grew in confidence he became more effective, playing backheels to set up teammates, shooting from distance and more. Solari has been crying out for somebody, anybody, to step up in attack and lead the line. This performance may have been Karim Benzema doing just that.
Game plan in attack
One key tactical element was how Benzema was deployed. The Frenchman dropped deep, often bringing a defender with him, allowing wingers and full-backs, particularly Vinicius Junior, to race forward and exploit the spaces in behind. Benzema himself or the likes of Luka Modric or Toni Kroos sprayed the ball around from a deeper role.
Benzema created a number of chan
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