Real Sociedad ended their 11-game winning streak last night at the Bérnabeu, allowing Los Blancos to leapfrog Barcelona and climb up to the first spot in the Spanish league. A well-timed tap-in from Gonzalo, two laser-precise penalties taken by Vini, and Valverde’s spectacular golazo from outside the box made Real Madrid’s eighth consecutive victory in La Liga that much more enjoyable for the Merengues.
The Txuri-urdin, on the other hand, had their hopes up after seeing their captain, Oyarzabal, score a penalty conceded by Huijsen, only to have their faith crushed by Aramburu. The Venezuelan defender of Basque heritage conceded not one, but two penalties, giving Vini the perfect opportunity to make his 200th contribution for Real Madrid in all competitions.
It is worth noting that Huijsen got booed for conceding, while Aramburu wasn’t singled out and blamed by the away fans who showed great spirit and cheered for their team until the last whistle. Despite such a heavy blow, the Basque team received a standing ovation from their fans after the match, an almost unthinkable act for the Bérnabeu audience.
The return of Trent
Trent Alexander-Arnold came back with a bang, claiming an assist in just five minutes. The English International finally returned after being out for over two months due to a thigh injury, and what a comeback that was! He was everywhere: switching from right to left, attacking on his dominant right side all the way to the rival’s goal, crossing balls from his usual position as right back onto all sides of the pitch.
We saw him in a somewhat more creative role last night, as he was instrumental in creating fast action from the defense, leaving the Real Sociedad midfield surprised. (I wish we had an actual analytics department so that I could create a heat map of where he found himself on the pitch that night to make this article look more professional.) We hope to see more of his playmaking capabilities this season, especially in crucial moments when the midfield is weakened by injuries, like it was last night without Bellingham.
What’s next for the two Royal clubs?
Real Madrid will travel to Lisbon to play a match against Benfica in the Champions League play-offs on Tuesday. Four days later, they will go to Pamplona for a face-off against Osasuna. As for the La Liga table, the Los Blancos are currently two points clear of Barcelona, who face Girona on Monday.
Real Sociedad plays Real Oviedo at home on Sunday, giving them a bit more time to rest.