05-01-2005

2-1 Ronaldo, a de-Luxe magician

Who said that there wasn't time? For Ronaldo three minutes were enough to come up with a penalty. And Zidane finished off the story by hitting the back of Asier Riesgo´s net. Luxemburgo started his career as Real Madrid coach with style, knocking down Real Sociedad in six minutes. It was the continuation of the game which was suspended on the 12 of December due to a bomb threat. The Three Kings brought forward the time of their gift giving for 2005, a new year, a new life!

It was Luxemburgo´s baptism on the bench of Real Madrid. A strange debut, or at least unusual: with just six minutes in front of them to look for treasure in the form of points. It was the continuation of a game (15th day) on which a bomb threat (12th of December) caused a postponement after 88 minutes of play.

Figo was the only obligatory absence in the ranks of Madrid, while Alkiza and Prieto were also absent from San Sebastian. The reason: the three were substituted by their coaches on the day when the match was played. Luxemburgo bet on a Ronaldo-Raúl-Morientes trio. A textbook move: Zidane was using his head well and in six minutes the central players were one of the main weapons, even more so when Beckham was at the side. The new San Sebastian players put on, with respect to the 12th of December, were Karpin, Rekarte and Mikel Alonso.

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The ball in play
And thus, the clash began… with a kick from goal by Riesgo, the action on which the game had been suspended. San Sebastian's kick landed at the feet of Zidane after various rebounds. The Frenchman knocked it wide to Beckham and Riesgo had to throw himself at the Englishman's feet.

Real Madrid played for their lives: two shots from the centre were rejected by the rival defence. The third was a header from Raúl which Riesgo stopped. Real didn't get hold of the ball and Luxemburgo´s were suffocating their rivals. A combination from Ronaldo and Raúl ended up at the feet of Morientes, but his shot was stopped by the Basque keeper.

The goal
After two minutes of play, Guti connected with Ronaldo and the ‘9’ improvised. Labaka collided with him in the area and Zidane, from the penalty spot was unforgiving. The Brazilian hit a scorching shot and brought Bernabéu to their feet. Ronie acted as the Three Kings and Zizou signed the first three points of 2005. As people had said, Luxemburgo brought luck and Real Madrid have not said their last word this season.

STATISTICS
2 - REAL MADRID: Casillas; Salgado, Helguera, Samuel, Roberto Carlos; Beckham, Guti, Zidane; Ronaldo (Pavón, 92nd minute), Raúl (Solari, 94th minute) and Morientes.
1 - REAL SOCIEDAD: Riesgo; Rekarte, Luiz Alberto, Labaka, Garrido; Karpin, Mikel Alonso, Aramburu, Gabilondo; Nihat; and Kovacevic.
THE GOAL
2-1 (91st minute ): Zidane transformed a penalty committed against Ronaldo.
REFEREE: Lizondo Cortés (Colegio Valenciano).
STADIUM: Santiago Bernabéu. Continuation of the match corresponding to day 15 of the National League Championship, which had to be suspended on the 12th of December due to a bomb threat.


A report by Javier J. Tamames
Photographs by Ángel Martínez