Santiago Solari's Real Madrid secure flattering first La Liga win in five weeks against Real Valladolid
Real Madrid 2-0 Real Valladolid: Relive all the action from the Bernabeu
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Your support makes all the difference.Real Madrid secured a flattering 2-0 win against Real Valladolid at the Bernabeu in Santiago Solari's first game in charge.
It was Madrid's first La Liga win in five weeks but the home side failed to impress for much of the game and were whistled off the pitch after a drab first half.
However, 18-year-old Brazilian Vinicius Jr. came off the bench and after jinking past three players his cross-come-shot took a cruel deflection off Kiko and nestled in the bottom-left corner of the net. It was a wicked piece of luck for Valladolid who had defended so well throughout the match and had begun to create a number of openings of their own as Madrid became evermore desperate to find a winner.
Moments after the goal, Vinicius then laid off the ball to Karim Benzema on the edge of the box who touched it past Calero before being brought down by the centre-back's trailing leg. Sergio Ramos, who had also been whistled prior to kick-off, chipped the keeper to confirm the fortunate victory.
Three points no less and an end to Real Madrid's winless run in the league secured. Yet whether the victory will do anything to convince Florentino Perez that Solari should stay in the job remains to be seen.
Relive all the action below.
All the spotlights will be pointed towards the touchline today as Santiago Solari hosts his first game at the Bernabeu against Real Valladoid.
The club has to make an imminent decision as to whether to instate Solari on a permanent basis or find a replacement due to La Liga rules so today's match may ultimately decide the Argentinian's future at the club.
Solari's first game in charge came in midweek in the Copa Del Rey when Madrid travelled to Melilla and claimed a comfortable 4-0 win, but it's undoubtedly in La Liga where the focus for the new manager lies.
Real Madrid have lost four of their last five league matches and are languishing in 9th place, already seven points behind Barcelona.
Solari has made two other changes to the starting line-up for the game. Raphael Varane is also injured so Nacho moves into the centre of defence and Odriozola comes in while out-of-form Isco is dropped for Marco Asensio.
Real Madrid 0-0 Real Valladolid
K/O: And we're underway at the Bernabeu
Real Madrid 0-0 Real Valladolid
2': Valladolid are a very solid defensive side and have conceded just seven goals this season - the second best record in La Liga - so it's far from a formality for Solari's side to break them down.
Real Madrid 0-0 Real Valladolid
4': Benzema comes very close to doing so though. Asensio plays him through on the left but the French striker drags his shot just wide on his weaker side.
Real Madrid 0-0 Real Valladolid
9': It was a fairly open first five minutes but Valladoid have begun to constrict the space now. They're playing with eleven players behind the ball and making it very difficult for Madrid's attackers to find space.
Real Madrid 0-0 Real Valladolid
11': Two impressive pieces of play by Sergio Reguilon threaten to create an opening. First a piece of trickery allows him to cross to Benzema who's in space just outside of the six-yard-box but the Frenchman misses the ball with the outside of his boot.
Then on the following attack, after another quick jink into space, Reguilon finds the brow of Bale whose header is well-saved.
Real Madrid 0-0 Real Valladolid
14': A free-kick near the right corner flag is flung in by Toni Kroos which Casemiro leaps to reach at the far-post but his header soars over the bar. All Real Madrid at the moment.
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