Real Madrid rallies past Numancia Real Madrid earned its first points of the season in dramatic fashion on Sunday as they twice came from behind to beat Numancia, 4-3, at the Bernabeu on Sunday. Six of the seven goals were scored in a hugely entertaining first half that finished with Madrid leading 4-2, and after the break Numancia could only find one of the two goals, it needed to get anything out of the game. Juan Moreno stunned the home fans when he put Numancia ahead in the seventh minute, but Guti fired Madrid level with the club’s 5,000th Primera Liga goal. Madrid looked to have recovered from that early wobble, but they found themselves behind again as Jose Barkero lashed in what will go down as one of the goals of the season, sending an unstoppable shot into the top corner of Iker Casillas’ net from 30 yards out. However, Madrid replied with three goals before half-time as Gonzalo Higuain and Rafael van der Vaart scored before Numancia defender Domingo Cisma put the ball into his own net. Moreno pulled one back for Numancia 11 minutes into the second half but there would be no way back for the visitors. Unai Emery watched his Valencia side grab a deserved point in a 2-2 draw on his first return to Almeria. Emery, who led Almeria to an unexpected eighth-placed finish last season, was indebted to star striker David Villa after the Spain international snatched a 69th-minute equalizer for the visitors. Almeria led twice, through Pablo Piatti and Alvaro Negredo, but Emery’s men again served notice that they will be a greater threat this year than last by hitting back through Alexis and Villa. Luis Garcia’s late strike gave Espanyol an impressive 1-0 win at Recreativo Huelva to keep up their strong start to the new campaign. Following an even first 83 minutes of action, the Spain forward bagged the only goal of the game to give new coach Bartolome Marquez a second successive win and hand the Catalans their best start to a season since 1994. Villarreal secured their first win of the Primera Liga season with a 1-0 success over Deportivo La Coruna at El Madrigal. A stunning long-range strike from winger Santi Cazorla was enough to settle the match. Javier Portillo struck six minutes from time to win a valuable point for Osasuna at Real Mallorca in a 1-1 draw. The former Real Madrid striker came off the bench midway through the second half and provided the moment of inspiration needed to level after the visitors had chased the game since Mallorca’s early opener, which was scored by Basque striker Aritz Aduriz. The games between Malaga and Athletic Bilbao, and between Getafe and Real Betis ended goalless. On Saturday, Frederic Kanoute scored twice to lead Sevilla to a thrilling 4-3 win at home to Sporting Gijon, while Barcelona’s disappointing start to the season continued with a 1-1 draw at home to Racing Santander. Atletico Madrid’s strong start came to an abrupt end as they lost, 2-1, to 10-man Real Valladolid

There’s always a sense of uneasiness when the big guns lose on the opening day of the season. Real Madrid were unfortunate enough to suffer that fate when they had the even bigger misfortune of being drawn against bogey team, Deportivo La Coruña to open their campaign.

Los Merengues predictably went down 1-2 but surprisingly, the Spanish press did not make a big fuss about the defeat at the Riazor, mainly because the team had not won there in 17 years. Although there were some glimmer of optimism that they could finally end that jinx this season, there was also a sense of expectancy that a Madrid side distracted by their transfer market antics would succumb to defeat for the umpteenth time.

But with that unpleasant trip out of the way nice and early, it’s time for the men in white to focus on jump-starting their endeavour to defend the league crown. Numancia would seem like an ideal opponent to begin that venture but Bernd Schuster will be only too aware of their opponent’s “park the bus” philosophy.

A quick glance at their pre-season results and early form guide is enough to reveal how they like to play their football and it is the kind that Madrid always have trouble with. Los Blancos’ offensive quality and depth in the squad will be given its first real test since the close of the summer shopping season.

Everything from Robinho’s departure to the club’s failure to bring in the requested attacking reinforcements will be out in the open in full exposure, and there will be no hiding for the “White House” president, Ramón Calderón and his chiefs if the team do not perform up to expectations, even if it is only just Matchweek Two.

Madrid, however, do have a 100% record at home against Numancia, granted there have only been three previous league meetings in the Spanish capital. But Sunday’s clash is more than just a record preservation exercise. They need a good showing to keep the knives far, far away and to get themselves into the right frame of mind for the midweek Champions League opener against BATE Borisov. Rarely can the second match of a 38-game season be so important for a side like El Real.

Baptism Of Fire

Numancia really could not have asked for a worse way to kick off their return to top flight football. After entertaining one Spanish colossus in Barcelona a fortnight ago, they have yet another to negotiate this week in the shape of the reigning La Liga champions, Real Madrid.

If that’s not enough to throw any newly-promoted side straight into relegation candidacy, next week, they will face one of last season’s more impressive teams and eventual league runners-up, Villarreal. Talk about a baptism of fire.

The good news for coach Sergio Kresic and his charges, however, is that they have already passed their first test with flying colours and they now have momentum on their side. Having toppled mighty Barça on matchday one, they will carry that surge of confidence with them into this game. And if they can get a good result at the Bernabéu, their morale will be boosted even further for the visit of the Yellow Submarine.

From then onwards, they should have some reprieve in the fixture calendar. Mallorca, Osasuna and Deportivo are all next in line for the Rojillos and they should be a walk in the park compared to their first three opposition. That’s how it should appear on paper at least but in reality, it could be very different.

Teams like Numancia tend to struggle against the smaller, lower profile opponents; direct rivals who play the same brand of football as they do and their ultra-defensive, counter-attacking approach will be rendered ineffectual. But as long as they can consistently grind out results, they might just be this season’s Almería.

FORM GUIDE

Real Madrid

Aug 31 Deportivo La Coruña 2-1 Real Madrid (LA LIGA)

Aug 27 Real Madrid 5-3 Sporting Lisbon (TROFEO BERNABÉU)

Aug 24 Real Madrid 4-2 Valencia (SUPERCOPA)

Aug 17 Valencia 3-2 Real Madrid (SUPERCOPA)

Aug 12 Eintracht Frankfurt 1-1 Real Madrid (FRIENDLY)

Numancia

Aug 31 Numancia 1-0 Barcelona (LA LIGA)

Aug 23 Numancia 1-0 Real Zaragoza (FRIENDLY)

Aug 20 Osasuna 0-0 Numancia (FRIENDLY)

Aug 17 Numancia 1-1 Real Sociedad (FRIENDLY)    

Aug 15 Celta Vigo 0-0 Numancia (FRIENDLY)

TEAM NEWS

Real Madrid

Wesley Sneijder is well ahead of schedule in his rehabilitation from a damaged cruciate knee ligament but he is still at least a month away from full fitness. Italian defender Fabio Cannavaro has finally recovered from his ankle injury and after playing in both of his country’s WCQ games, he should slot back into defence alongside Pepe.

Schuster also welcomes back Rafael van der Vaart after he completed his one-match ban following his sending off in the Supercopa, while the club’s flurry of internationals have arrived back in the capital unscathed.

Raúl and Guti had fitness concerns in midweek but both have since returned to peak condition and will be available for selection.

Probable Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Casillas – Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Cannavaro, Marcelo –Gago/Diarrà, Guti – Robben, van der Vaart, Raúl (c) – van Nistelrooy

Numancia

Numancia’s only loss for this game is forward Antonio Guayre who is out for around two weeks with a fractured wrist on his right hand.

Defender Sergio Ortega, ironically, also nearly suffered a similar fate when his right hand was stepped on by Barkero during training but the injury is not as serious and he should be able to shrug it off in time for the match.

Kresic will thus able to count on the full complement of his squad and he looks likely to start with the same first eleven that took down Barcelona two weeks ago.

Probable Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Juan Pablo – Juanra, Palacios, Boris, Cisma – Nagore, Barkero – Marío, Moreno, Bellvis - Brit

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Real Madrid

Rafael van der Vaart will be out to make amends to the home fans after getting himself sent off on his Bernabéu debut in the Supercopa several weeks ago. Even though his side did end up winning the trophy, his absence in the subsequent game against Depor may have well cost the team a chance of getting a result at the Riazor.

Numancia

Midfielder Mario was the hero two weeks ago when he scored the solitary goal against Barcelona in what was his Primera Liga debut. Another week of heroics against another giant of the league may or may not be possible but it is precisely that unpredictability that makes him stand out as a threat.

PREDICTION

Real Madrid have an uncanny habit of winning big on the second matchday of the season. They thumped Villarreal 0-5 last year and brushed aside Levante 1-4 the year before. This Numancia side, however, looks unlikely to concede any more than a goal or two and a tight contest can be expected.

 

Real Madrid coach, Bernd Schuster could see his fears of a striker shortage start to emerge this weekend as Raúl appears set to be ruled out.

Marca has reported that the Los Blancos captain has not set foot on a football field for training in the last eight days, choosing instead to remain in the gym to focus on a muscle toning exercise regime.

Although his condition and match fitness levels are unknown at this stage, the idea is for the 31 year old to be 100% fit and ready for the midweek Champions League opener against BATE Borisov and as such, Schuster could take decision to rest the ‘Number 7’.

This is exactly what the German trainer had feared all summer long and the club’s failure to bring in his requested back-up striker could be exposed early on in the season, even if it is just for one game.

Madrid do have Argentines, Gonzalo Higuaín and Javier Saviola as cover – and the former will be favourites to start – but it remains to be seen how Schuster will tweak his strategy and formation to accommodate Raúl’s likely absence.