An embarrassing end to an embarrassing season for Real Madrid
Even at the Santiago Bernabeu, on the final day of the season, Zidane couldn't get his side going as they slumped to yet another defeat against Real Betis
Real Madrid fans have wanted this season to end for months now and they finally got their wish. Naturally the end to what has been an incredibly underwhelming season came with defeat at home to Real Betis. The 2-0 scoreline was a fair result as the visitors had much the better chances and were largely unfazed by a Madrid side simply going through the motions.
RMA
0 ________________ 2
BET
LINE UP
Real Madrid
Keylor Navas, Carvajal, Varane, Nacho, Marcelo, Modric, Llorente, Fede Valverde (Isco, 69'), Brahim (Marco Asensio, 60'), Benzema (Lucas Vázquez, 76') y Vinicius.
Betis
Pau López, Francis, Mandi, Bartra, Feddal, Junior, Lo Celso, William Carvalho (Sidnei, 90'), Guardado, Kaptoum (Jesé, 68') y Loren (Tello, 74').
Goles
0-1 M.60 Loren. 0-2 M.75 Jesé
Árbitro
Undiano Mallenco (navarro). TA: Llorente (37'), Carvajal (57'), Isco (86') / Kaptoum (31')
Incidencias
Partido correspondiente a la jornada 38 de la Liga Santander, disputado en el Santiago Bernabéu ante 56.900 espectadores.
After losing to Ajax in the Last 16 of the Champions League at the beginning of March, Madrid have had nothing to play for. Most of the talk going into the final home match of the season was about next year and what's going to change. Keylor Navas was handed a start in order to bid farewell to the Bernabeu crowd. Marcos Llorente, another linked with a move away, was also in the XI. Gareth Bale, however, had to make do with a place on the naughty step - otherwise known as the bench.
Real Madrid simply didn't turn up against Betis. The same problems that Lopetegui and Scolari had to deal with are present under Zidane's second reign. There was very little quality on show and many of the players who have looked okay this season returned to their previous form on an afternoon to forget, in a season to forget.
Karim Benzema probably put in his worst performance of the season. Keylor Navas, at the other end, was doing his best to keep the scoreline respectable. It'll be interesting to see how they manage to do that without the reliable Costa Rican next season.
Varane was caught out by a ball over the top. Guardado squared the ball across goal for Loren to stab home the opener.
Zidane threw on Asensio and Isco but that didn't change a great deal. Junior Firpo took advantage of some static defending to burst in behind, pulling to back for Madrid old boy Jese to double the lead for Quique Setien's team.
Navas continued to keep Betis at bay as at least he showed some respect to the fans who had made the trip to the sunny Bernabeu. Yet the other major name who is set to depart this summer, Bale, was forced to watch the game from the sidelines as Lucas Vazquez came on instead. Zidane has a massive job on his hands to turn this team around in just a couple of months.
