Real Madrid 4-1 Getafe: 5 Talking Points

Real Madrid’s stellar attacking trio of Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo all got on the scoresheet together for the first time this season as they helped a beleaguered Blancos side thump Getafe 4-1 and ease some pressure off the capital club. With the Copa Del Rey expulsion adding further blot in what has been a dreaded year for the 10-time European champions, a win was vital to cast their minds off the embarrassment.And BBC ensured just that by killing the tie off with four first-half goals – two from Benzema, and one each from Bale and Ronaldo. Alexis of Getafe pulled one back for the visitors with 20 minutes remaining, but that proved to be a scant consolation as the hosts held on and claimed maximum points.Here are the major talking points from the game.

#1 A game of two halves

Entering the game with all their backs to the wall following the latest league cup ignominy, Los Blancos flew out of the gates in the opening stages and broke the deadlock as early as the 4th minute when Benzema bundled home from close range, before doubling the advantage 10 minutes later. The hosts dominated the proceedings throughout, controlling possession and pressing high up the park, throwing the listless Getafe into a tizzy.

Their relentless attacking saw Bale and Ronaldo also joining the act, putting the tie beyond El Geta’s reach. However, the home side cut a lethargic figure in the second half.

After Benzema came close to making it 5-0 quickly after the break, the whites barely threatened and looked to have taken their foot off the pedal, enjoying the four-goal cushion. Real Madrid then gave away possession cheaply, allowing their city rivals to have more time on the ball, and that came back to bite them as Getafe reduced the lead through a neat header from Alexis.

Despite the resounding win, the hosts were at the receiving end of some brickbats from the faithful as they didn’t entertain the idea of going off in the second half.

#2 Benzema crucial to Madrid\'s title aspirations

Karim Benzema returned to the starting lineup after two games and didn’t take long to make his presence felt as he bagged a brace within the opening quarter of the game. The Frenchman was enduring fine a run in front of the goal until an injury crisis disrupted his scoring spree. Now having returned to full fitness, the former Lyon man has once again clinched his scoring prowess and that should appease the club and the fans alike.

Benzema was one of the better players going forward and also triggered the onslaught. Although the verve faded in the second half, his good form comes at a time when the club is in desperate need of a guiding light.

The 28-year-old France international has always been a reliable scorer for Los Blancos and, despite playing in the shadows of Ronaldo all these years, has weighed in with some crucial goals in the past. His goalscoring run will go some way in deciding Madrid’s fortunes this season.

#3 Vazquez shines through the flanks

With Dani Carvajal picking up another knock in the foot, Rafa Benitez opted to play Lucas Vazquez in the full-back position. And the Spaniard repaid the manager’s faith with a fine display.

The former Espanyol man was a live wire down the right wing, scything through the channels time and again to lay in crosses for the attackers. It was his cheeky back-heel pass to Pepe that allowed the Portuguese to escape his marker and feed Benzema, who cooly slotted the ball home for the opener.

Vazquez continued to remain a central figure in the Getafe half even in the second half and played an important role in most of his side’s best attacking moves.

#4 Real Madrid need to be vigilant in set-pieces

This isn’t something new for the Blancos, and isn't something they are not so accustomed to as well. Set-piece vulnerability has been the hallmark of the Madrid outfit since the past few years and it came to gnaw at them here again when Getafe pulled one back through a corner.

Midway through the second half, the Azulones won a corner and Alexis beat Pepe in the aerial duel to head home the visitors’ only goal of the game. Although the home side wouldn’t mind that one going in, it did garner whistles from the fans. And just a few minutes later, Getafe came close of pulling back another one back from the same situation, but this time, Pepe was on hand to head clear.

While the goal had a minimal impact on the outcome of the match, it could easily have been avoided. Real Madrid have always been poor at marking players during set-pieces and the likes of Sevilla and Shakhtar Donetsk have made a meal of it in the recent past.

The Blancos need to be more vigilant in such situations before it costs them against mightier opponents later in the season.

#5 Madrid have to do better

With the Copa Del Rey gone, Real Madrid can now contend on only two fronts – the league and the Champions League, thereby increasing pressure on the manager to deliver on at least one of those fronts. With Barcelona still four points ahead in the league despite their latest setback in Valencia, they have some catching up to do in the second half of the season.

Although they’ve been good enough in the Champions League thus far, they are currently a notch below the likes of Bayern Munich, PSG and even their rivals from Catalonia. Persistent injuries, out of form players and some managerial blunders by Rafa Benitez has seen the club in hot waters this season and remain a pale imitation of the Real Madrid side that cantered to the Decima just 18 months ago.

With one-third of the season now dusted, things are appearing to be more clear at the top, and one thing is sure; it doesn’t make a good reading for the whites. Benitez has a huge task at hand of pulling this beleaguered side out of a mini-crisis by Madrid’s lofty standards.