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Real Madrid swiftly got over their UEFA Super Cup defeat to Atletico Madrid by opening their LaLiga account with a comfortable 2-0 victory over city rivals Getafe.
Julen Lopetegui's team dominated possession, securing 78% of the ball and controlling the game from start to finish. Daniel Carvajal and Gareth Bale grabbed a goal apiece in what was a routine win for Los Blancos.
Getafe rarely threatened Madrid's goal and had to wait until injury time for their first shot on target after two wayward efforts and two blocked shots earlier in the game. The home side managed 10 shots on goal throughout the match, hitting the target three times.
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An incredible seven players from the visiting side received yellow cards as they sought to disrupt the play and physically dominate their hosts. However, Real Madrid remained composed to secure a vital three points as they enter a new era without Cristiano Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane.
Here are the big talking points from the game.
#1 Getafe's deep-lying midfield failed to nullify Real Madrid's creativity
The gulf in riches between Real Madrid and Getafe meant it was no surprise to see Jose Bordalas set his team up ultra-defensively at the Bernebeau.
Lining up in a 4-5-1 formation, Getafe sought to pack the midfield and reduce the space between the lines where Bale and Asensio operate. This is a common tactic for teams who come to the Bernebeau and one which Madrid will face time and again this season.
While the idea is good, in practice it failed miserably on the night. El Geta couldn't cope with the swift passing game of Los Blancos who played with purpose when in possession, moving the ball directly to look for space on the channels or in behind the Getafe defense.
The movement of Bale and Asensio nullified the visitor's defensive tactics as both players roamed freely between the lines of defense and midfield and along the wide channels. Both players frequently switched positions, leaving Getafe's fullbacks, particularly Leandro Cabrera, stranded in no man's land.
The frustration caused by Madrid's quick play led to Getafe's players diving into tackles with no fewer than seven players having their name taken by the referee, Javier Fernandez. El Geta will need to show far better discipline going forward this season if they wish to go one step further than their eighth-place finish last time out and qualify for Europe.
It is a credit to Madrid that they could play such an impressive game against an ultra-defensive team as they will face similar setups at the Bernebeau time and again this season.
#2 Daniel Carvajal's first-half goal settled nerves at the Bernebeau
After a thoroughly disappointing performance against Atletico Madrid last week, it was essential for Los Blancos to settle quickly in front of their notoriously impatient home crowd.
While they comfortably controlled possession during the opening exchanges, very few goalscoring opportunities were created and trickles of frustration were already rippling around the Bernebeau.
When playing an ultra-defensive team such as Getafe, patience is everything and Los Blancos were rewarded for their efforts on 20 minutes when Daniel Carvajal pounced on an awful punch by Getafe goalkeeper, David Soria, following a Gareth Bale cross.
Instantly, relief swept through the team and the fans which allowed the home side to play their buildup passing game without the urgency of needing to find a goal.
It is often underestimated how vital an early goal can be against weaker opposition and if Real had failed to score by the midpoint of the second half, frustration and impatience could have crept into their play rather than the composure and calmness which typified this performance.
The second goal by Gareth Bale on 51 minutes ensured Los Blancos would take all three points and kept the atmosphere positive and supportive for the remainder of the game.
#3 Gareth Bale shows he is ready to become the main man
The summer departure of Cristiano Ronaldo left one question on the lips of Real Madrid fans - who will be the main man now?
For many, the obvious answer was Gareth Bale, although the Welshman had many questions hanging over him regarding his capabilities of filling the shoes left by Real Madrid's top scorer.
However, Bale answered many of those questions on Sunday night and if he maintains this level of performance and stays fit for the season we may well see the 29-year-old make the step up to the next level and fulfill the promise he has shown for so many years.
The winger enjoyed a man of the match performance against Getafe, roaming the flanks, making superb runs behind the defense, and generally reeking havoc during his 77 minutes on the pitch. His cross led to Carvajal's opening goal and the Welshman hit the woodwork before adding a goal of his own in the second half.
The winger has now scored in each of Real Madrid's previous four opening LaLiga games of the season and has netted eight goals from his last 11 shots on target.
If he maintains this level of performance, he will surely find himself as the main man for Los Blancos this season.
#4 Getafe may have uncovered a gem in Ivan Alejo
Getafe could take few positives from this resounding defeat against Real Madrid, however, there was one sign of promise for the upcoming season in the shape of new signing, Ivan Alejo.
The 23-year-old signed for El Geta from Eibar during the summer for a fee of €4 million and looked very threatening after his introduction on 64 minutes at the Bernebeau. The former Atletico Madrid academy player enjoyed a wonderful season with Eibar last season and changed Getafe's mentality when coming on in the second half.
The visitors looked much more threatening with Alejo on the field as he used his pace and skill to threaten Los Blancos down the right flank. The young winger made three successful dribbles in the final 23 minutes of the game, accounting for 75% of Getafe's four successful dribbles in the whole match.
It was perhaps surprising that Alejo didn't start the game as he was among the big signings for El Geta this summer and has proven his abilities in the Spanish top flight with 21 appearances for Eibar during the last campaign.
However, we are bound to see more of the Spaniard and Getafe fans will hope he can become an essential player in their quest for European qualification this season.
#Toni Kross flourishes under Lopetegui’s system
Julen Lopetegui's Real Madrid differs greatly from the team we saw last season under Zidane, but his system has proven effective with this win over Getafe.
The home team was extremely patient in their buildup play, focusing on controlling the ball and covering the defensive line in case of a turnover and counter-attack. The system focused on plenty of movement from the front three and dropping Toni Kroos slightly deeper to give the German more time on the ball.
The result of this was an outstanding performance from the 28-year-old who saw a lot of the ball and was afforded the time to pick out passes to the players making runs ahead of him. Kroos flourishes in this role and displayed his incredible passing accuracy throughout the match.
The German completed 116 of his 118 passes over the 90 minutes. This equates to an astonishing 98% pass success rate, the highest of any Real Madrid player to make more than 100 passes in LaLiga since the 2005/06 season.
Of these passes, Kroos played 16 long balls with a 100% success rate. Based on this performance, the midfielder will play a vital role in Madrid's campaign this season and will be a joy to watch over the coming months.
