Spanish La Liga
Real MadridReal Madrid2Real ValladolidReal Valladolid0

Real Madrid 2-0 Real Valladolid: Santiago Solari's side end winless run

By Emlyn BegleyBBC Sport
Sergio Ramos
Sergio Ramos' last five La Liga goals have all been penalties

Real Madrid grabbed a fortunate victory against Real Valladolid in Santiago Solari's first La Liga game in charge - their first league win in six games.

Valladolid hit the crossbar twice in the second half before a late deflected strike gave Madrid the lead.

Brazilian teenager Vinicius Jr cut in from the right wing and hit an effort that was going well off target until it hit defender Kiko Olivas.

And Sergio Ramos chipped in a late penalty after Karim Benzema was fouled.

European champions ride their luck

Real had only picked up one point from their previous five La Liga games, including last Sunday's 5-1 thrashing by Barcelona, a result which cost boss Julen Lopetegui his job.

Solari, the club's reserve-team coach, has taken temporary charge and led them to a 4-0 win at third division Melilla in the Copa del Rey during the week.

But this was his first big challenge - taking his ninth-placed team to a club sixth in the league and owned by former Real and Brazil striker Ronaldo.

In truth, they were unimpressive and should have lost. Their fans whistled them off at half-time and then when they came back on after the break.

Valladolid's Ruben Alcaraz hit the crossbar with a deflected shot from 25 yards, and Toni Villa did the same with a sweet strike from a similar distance.

Solari's changes prove key... just

Vinicius Jr
Vinicius Jr scored four goals in five games for Real's B team under Solari this season

Nobody knows if Solari will end up in permanent charge - with Mauricio Pochettino the bookmakers' favourite - but the former Real winger's arrival has not brought an immediate improvement in the team's performances.

He had to play an unfamiliar backline, with three of the regular back four unavailable, and 21-year-old left-back Sergio Reguilon, on his La Liga debut, had a decent match.

In the 55th minute, Solari brought on Isco - an attacking midfielder - for defensive-minded Casemiro, and Valladolid almost took advantage of gaps at the back on several occasions.

Gareth Bale was pretty anonymous, a couple of headers aside, and was replaced by Lucas Vazquez in the second half.

But it was their other sub, Vinicius Jr, who helped change the game. The 18-year-old, a £38.7m summer signing, had previously played 12 minutes in La Liga, with Real fans keen to see more of him.

He gave Real the lead - with a goal initially awarded as a Kiko own goal, before eventually being given to the Brazilian. In celebration, he kissed the badge, bowed in front of the crowd and hugged Solari, a man he made five appearances for in the reserve team this season.

Valladolid were deflated and the game was already over when Fernando Calero fouled Benzema and Ramos chipped in a cheeky Panenka penalty.

Line-ups

Real Madrid

Formation 4-3-3

  • 25Courtois
  • 19Odriozola
  • 6Nacho
  • 4Ramos
  • 23Reguilón
  • 10Modric
  • 14CasemiroSubstituted forIscoat 56'minutes
  • 8Kroos
  • 11BaleSubstituted forVázquezat 71'minutes
  • 9Benzema
  • 20AsensioBooked at 45minsSubstituted forVinícius Júniorat 73'minutes

Substitutes

  • 1Navas
  • 15Valverde
  • 17Vázquez
  • 22Isco
  • 24Ceballos
  • 28Vinícius Júnior
  • 31Sánchez de Felipe

Real Valladolid

Formation 4-4-2

  • 1Masip
  • 17Moyano LujanoSubstituted forCopat 85'minutes
  • 4Olivas Alba
  • 5Calero
  • 22Martínez García
  • 18Regal Angulo
  • 21Herrero Javaloyas
  • 14Alcaraz
  • 19Villa SuárezSubstituted forVerdeat 69'minutes
  • 32SuárezSubstituted forPlanoat 76'minutes
  • 9Ünal

Substitutes

  • 2Fernández
  • 8Fernández
  • 10Plano
  • 11Verde
  • 13Rodríguez
  • 20Cop
  • 23Mohamed
Referee:
Jesús Gil Manzano
Attendance:
68,050

Match Stats

Home TeamReal MadridAway TeamReal Valladolid
Possession
Home58%
Away42%
Shots
Home17
Away12
Shots on Target
Home8
Away2
Corners
Home8
Away6
Fouls
Home14
Away7

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Real Madrid 2, Real Valladolid 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Real Madrid 2, Real Valladolid 0.

  3. Post update

    Attempt missed. Rubén Alcaraz (Real Valladolid) header from a difficult angle on the left is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Míchel with a cross following a corner.

  4. Post update

    Corner, Real Valladolid. Conceded by Sergio Ramos.

  5. Post update

    Foul by Lucas Vázquez (Real Madrid).

  6. Post update

    Fernando Calero (Real Valladolid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  7. Post update

    Foul by Sergio Reguilón (Real Madrid).

  8. Post update

    Míchel (Real Valladolid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  9. Post update

    Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  10. Post update

    Foul by Míchel (Real Valladolid).

  11. Goal!

    Goal! Real Madrid 2, Real Valladolid 0. Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the centre of the goal.

  12. Post update

    Penalty Real Madrid. Karim Benzema draws a foul in the penalty area.

  13. Post update

    Penalty conceded by Fernando Calero (Real Valladolid) after a foul in the penalty area.

  14. Post update

    Corner, Real Valladolid. Conceded by Sergio Ramos.

  15. Substitution

    Substitution, Real Valladolid. Duje Cop replaces Javi Moyano.

  16. Post update

    Foul by Luka Modric (Real Madrid).

  17. Post update

    Míchel (Real Valladolid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  18. Goal!

    Goal! Real Madrid 1, Real Valladolid 0. Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid) right footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Isco.

  19. Post update

    Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Nacho.

  20. Post update

    Attempt missed. Fernando Calero (Real Valladolid) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Míchel with a cross following a set piece situation.

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Scores, Results & Fixtures

Saturday 3rd November 2018

As It Stood

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Barcelona1173131141724
2Atl Madrid11551136720
3Alavés10622149520
4Sevilla106132213919
5Espanyol10532148618
6Real Madrid115241614217
7Levante105141615116
8Real Valladolid1144399016
9Girona114431314-116
10Getafe10433108215
11Celta Vigo103431713413
12Real Sociedad103341213-112
13Real Betis1033459-412
14Valencia1118279-211
15Eibar103251017-711
16Ath Bilbao101721115-410
17Villarreal10235810-29
18Leganés11236916-79
19Rayo Vallecano111371223-116
20Huesca10127822-145
View full Spanish La Liga table