Benzema rescues Real Madrid from a perfect storm

The new Bermuda Triangle has formed at Valdebebas. In recent weeks, all the games played by Real Madrid have been submerged in a powerful downpour that would make Leo Messi himself tremble. The Di Stefano turf drains the water well and makes the ball roll fast and makes football more enjoyable.

In the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals against Chelsea, it looked like 180 minutes of low-scoring, scrappy football. But as fate would have it, Real Madrid's defensive wall was diluted before the deluge. Chelsea began to put long balls behind the backs of Militao and Varane until one of them found Pulisic. The North American had the cool head to get around the outstretched Courtois and hit it so hard that not even Varane's chest could keep out the goal. The first goal made in the USA in the Champions League semi-finals.

Chelsea's footballing display against Real Madrid could have sealed the tie for Tuchel's side. Before the goal, Courtois made another historic save with his reflexes a metre from the goal line. The defensive and orderly Real Madrid were unravelling at times. The backline lost order as Marcelo and Carvajal unbalanced the block by running up the flank and dropping deep behind the wingers. 

Marcelo returned to Zidane's eleven. The French coach is fitting the pieces of the puzzle together as best he can to keep fighting in the league and Champions League. This means that the Brazilian full-back is getting more minutes than his form allows. The flank that he once ruled by attacking better than defending has now become a toll-free highway for the opposition. Zidane kept him on the pitch until the 75th minute and gave way to Odriozola. Another player he doesn't trust either, but who, little by little, is getting minutes and joining the battle to win anything at any price. 

Modric once again flew like a feather over the Di Stéfano. He manages the midfield with that outside touch worthy of a doctoral thesis. His stripes fall to the floor with every play he dribbles, feints and takes opponents off his feet with a subtle ball control. Kroos is the other half of the diesel engine. The combustion is finished off by Casemiro who hit too much because he was incapable of defending at the speed Chelsea were moving the ball. Because of that and because Modric swivelled to the wing to cover up the full-backs.

Real Madrid plugged the leaks as best they could and saved the ship from sinking in the middle of the storm. It has taken Benzema 10 years to live up to the 9 on his shirt, but he looks ready to die for the cause of lifting a title. His goal was a work of art NFT, one of those unique and unrepeatable digital masterpieces that we can carry on our mobile phones and watch over and over again waiting for a dentist's appointment. With his forehead, he turned a washing machine into a ball that he chipped into Mendy's goal fifteen minutes after the English goal.

Tuchel's side went on to be the rookie team facing Real Madrid in the Champions League. That well-coached team, with good football and all that stuff that pleases those who understand but suffers in their shield as Real Madrid survive with much less. They even had the chance to score the second with a header from Varane, who wants to make up for his mistakes last season against City and leave Real Madrid with their fifth Champions League.

Zidane has turned the squad into football kamikazes. His ability to fight and fight for every ball is extraordinary in view of the physical state of the squad, the usual need for goals and the French coach's historic lack of a blackboard. The coach has enough charisma to get all the players involved, including some of the reserve team players who would kill to play in this squad. That's all he needs.

There was no news from the referee. The mourners who were theorising about the refereeing that Real Madrid were going to suffer because of Florentino Pérez's Superliga stunt will have to wait for another occasion. Ceferin will make good on his threat, no doubt about it, but he won't be so clumsy as to do it in full view of everyone. The return leg remains. 

The storm passed, the football, too. On a night in which Spanish journalism mourned the death of journalist David Beriain and cameraman Roberto Fraile. Jihadist terrorism in Burkina Faso took their lives, but not their work. May they rest in peace.