By Charly
September 14 2005

Real Madrid lost humiliatingly 3-0 against Lyon with a very mediocre game and totally outclassed. After also deservedly losing against Celta last weekend, the Spanish team looks once again very poor showing the same symptoms and weaknesses as ever. Lyon showed they are as good as last season. The starting lineup was Casillas; Roberto Carlos, Sergio Ramos, Iván Helguera, Michel Salgado; Gravesen, Pablo García; Baptista, Beckham; Robinho, Raul.
Lyon: Coupet; Berthod, Cacapa, Cris, Reveillere; Diarra; Tiago, Juninho Pernambucano; Malouda, Wiltord; Carew.

Many eyes were set on the 27-million-euros and 19-year-old defender Sergio Ramos, to finally get to know him and try to understand why such a young defender is so expensive. Robinho was also in the spotlight, and his amazing dribbles were expected by everyone.

The problem is we can’t know how good Ramos actually is, because Madrid’s defense is the same disaster as always, and while Ramos can be very fast and has a great mobility, he finds himself in the same situation Walter Samuel was in last season: forced out of position, facing two or more rivals. Roberto Carlos never stopped Wiltord by any means, and the same with Salgado when facing Malouda. Carew wass always a problem when in the box, and he did his work off the ball greatly.

So this poor kid found himself having to deal all by himself with the winger and the attacking midfielders with no cover up behind, since Helguera was dealing with Carew.

Then the problem is moved to the midfield, in which García and Gravesen were supposed to do the holding and the marking. Well, they didn’t. They never complemented each other and the midfield never worked as a unit. Plus, Juninho Pernambucano was having a great day and there was no stopping him. Tiago also did a good work, which meant that Juninho had a good partner in the middle and that Real need to mark him too, and they both outclassed Gravesen, totally helpless, and García, whose main tool was the violent tackle. But then there was also Diarra, playing as defensive midfield, always with accurate distribution to the sides and forwards.

Beckham, playing as right midfielder, was a burden to the team. He was not accurate with passing, ineffective with free kicks, and of course, not marking Berthod when overlapping, or even pulling himself to the middle to help there. Then, in the 2nd half, Guti came in for Gravesen, Beckham stood next to García, Guti as attacking midfielder and Baptista more forwards. It was just then when Beckham appeared a bit more, but still in a level too far from what the team needed.

On the left therewais no one to mark, since Baptista played down the center. In the hole he was very well controlled and unable to show his best, but the partnered up with Raul as strikers. Robinho played as a free role winger, with no obligation to try to get the ball back, he just had to take the ball on the sides and try to dribble his way into the goal. Lyon was already on to him before the match, and he was stopped.

The goals came after 2 great free kicks by Juninho and the third after a good team play, with passing and giving the defense a real twist. There could have been a fourth goal, but Casillas stopped Juninho’s penalty, after a foul by Michel Salgado.

Lyon did a great match, playing 4-1-2-3, very tidy, safe, with great pressure, speed and ambition, and credit should go to Houllier for pulling the right strings. But then, in the 2nd half, the team pulled back and gave Madrid the ball, who tried to go forwards anyhow.

Even then, Lyon proved to be better than Madrid. The Galácticos were disorganized in attack and relied too much on Robinho cracking up an aware defense, though not entirely safe in the center, with Cris and Cacapa. Real tried a lot from long range and couldn’t find a clear way in, but still Coupet made some good saves during all the match.

All in all, Real Madrid is finally becoming the huge fiasco it was set to be since Florentino Perez took charge and planned a team of stars. If he did so to sell shirts or to create good football, we don’t know, but he certainly is selling a lot of shirts and winning money out of merchandise and publicity, and football is getting worse by the day.