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It was a successful day at the office for Real Madrid as they beat Getafe 1-0 in La Liga on Saturday, May 13.
Keeping in mind the side's upcoming Champions League semifinal clash against Manchester City, Carlo Ancelotti decided to rotate the squad. Eight changes were made, as the likes of Eden Hazard and Marco Asensio received rare starts.
The first half did not see much action, with the mostly second-choice Real Madrid players unable to launch a threat on the Getafe goal. The only close moment was when Lucas Vazquez's cross from the right almost reached Marco Asensio.
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The second half started similar to the first, with Los Blancos unable to poke a hole in Getafe's defences. A triple change at the hour mark saw the introductions of Luka Modric, Vinicius Junior, and Mariano Diaz as Carlo Ancelotti looked for some inspiration.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 70th minute when Asensio's deflected effort sneaked into the back of the net.
Vinicius thought he had bagged a second just minutes later after a smart piece of play with Diaz, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.
The Spanish giants closed the game out well and took three points, ahead of a vital second-leg Champions League semi-final match against Manchester City. Here are the five talking points from the game.
#5. Eduardo Camavinga's injury cause for concern
Eduardo Camavinga has proven to be a valuable player for Real Madrid in recent times. The midfielder has performed quite well at left-back when deployed there but started this game in the middle of the park.
His good outing came to a tough end, when he was at the receiving end of a tough challenge. He had to be subbed off late in the game, causing worry for Carlo Ancelotti.
#4. Aurelien Tchouameni put up a good performance
The French youngster had a strong outing against Getafe. While he may not be the first midfield option among the likes of Modric, Kroos, and Valverde, the 23-year-old proved his worth in this match.
With rumours of a move away from the Santiago Bernabeu, Tchouameni played well in both defense and attack as Real Madrid won easily. He finished the game with a 96 percent pass accuracy, two key passes, three dribbles completed, four tackles, and two interceptions.
#3. Some inspired substitutions from Carlo Ancelotti did the trick
Real Madrid did not look threatening at all for the first half and it looked the story would continue as such in the second period. However, with the introduction of Modric, Kroos, and Vinicius, Los Blancos seemed to reach an extra gear.
While it was Asensio that grabbed the winner, the players off the bench had a positive impact and were instrumental in taking home three points.
#2. Getafe could finish in the bottom three
A tough fixture against Real Madrid saw the relegation-threatened Getafe side continue to stay in the bottom three. An upcoming clash against already-relegated Elche will prove to be pivotal, while a match against Real Valladolid on the last weekend could be a case of the winner staying up.
#1. Real Madrid stars earn some vital rest
It was evident that Carlo Ancelotti would rest some of his key players, keeping in mind the Champions League fixture midweek. Eight changes were made to the starting lineup.
Karim Benzema was not even named on the bench, while the likes of Modric and Vinicius played just over half an hour, earning some key rest as they prepare to travel to the Etihad.
