Bale leads Real through
REAL MADRID’S magic touch in the Champions League remains undimmed after Gareth Bale inspired a 2-0 win over Roma yesterday that ensures they will go through top of the group.
Bale scored one and then provided the cross that led to another as Lucas Vazquez wrapped up a clinical 2-0 win at the Stadio Olimpico.
Roma squandered several chances in the first half, the best of them falling to Cengiz Under, who was guilty of a shocking miss from six yards, with the goal gaping.
Federico Fazio’s mistake then gifted Bale the opener and Roma faded thereafter, allowing Madrid to erase memories of their shock defeat to Eibar last weekend by finishing top of Group G.
“It was important to bounce back quickly,” Real coach Santiago Solari said.
“We are very happy. It was important to move on and we did that, showing a sense of responsibility as a team and individuals,” Solari added
“Matches last 90 minutes, we knew how to grow into the game. They had one incredible chance after an error of ours, which we talked about in the dressing room. In the second half we improved with our accuracy,” he said.
Solari also believes Real, who have lifted the Champions League in the last three seasons and have 13 European Cups to their name, should be considered one of the leading contenders for this edition despite their turbulent domestic campaign, which led to Julen Lopetegui being sacked last month.
“It is always the case, because of our history,” added the Argentine coach.
“It doesn’t depend on how we played today or the other day, it depends on our 115 years. Real Madrid will be the favourite as long as no team equals our number of titles.”
Both teams knew they had already qualified thanks to Viktoria Plzen’s win over CSKA Moscow in the early kickoff, making this a golden chance to secure first place.
Madrid seized it, showing once again their immunity in the Champions League, where the team’s problems in domestic competitions are seemingly never transferred.
They have gone more than eight hours great play by Cristiano but our team gave everything, showing great spirit against one of the best teams in Europe,” said Valencia coach Marcelino Garcia. without a goal and two weeks without a permanent coach but Santiago Solari still leads Real into the knock-out stages as group winners with one game to spare.
“We like playing against the best – it brings out the best in us,” Bale said.
Solari might have felt relief after the disastrous display at Eibar on Saturday while the pressure mounts for Roma coach Eusebio di Francesco.
They have won only one of their last five Serie A games, and Antonio Conte was watching on in the crowd.
“We’re playing against a side of champions,” di Francesco said. “The only difference was they scored with their first chance.”
There have been a fair few winners from Solari’s time at the helm but Isco is not one of them.
After not starting any of the new coach’s first five games, he failed even to make the bench in Italy.
“It was a sporting decision, nothing else,” Solari said. “It is up to all players to be at 100% for the coaches to pick them.” – AFP / Reuters