Real Madrid could not continue their good run and despite playing much better than other days, they had to settle for a goalless draw against Real Sociedad that now leaves them five points behind Barcelona. La Real could not storm second place at the Bernabeu either, but they did play a competitive game against the whites, played from power to power. Madrid carried the weight of the game more but, denied before the goal, they failed to specify their superiority on the scoreboard.
La Real appeared with nine casualties but their style of play was the same. He advanced the line a lot, never hit a bad ball and brought a lot of people into attack as soon as he could. He lacked consistency up top, with Oyarzábal missing.
At Madrid Ancelotti was not complicated. He played again with Ceballos, Valverde and Kroos in a midfield where Modric rested. Camavinga played the left back and Nacho kept the right. The hat-trick in front was as expected, with Rodrygo, Vinícius and Benzema, all three in better and better shape.
The first occasion was for Real, a cross from Aihen that Sorloth missed in front of the goal by very little. Madrid soon acquired possession and as Real joined players in the central circle, the game was played in just twenty meters, with everyone looking for a gap through which to catch the rival defense behind.
Without having many opportunities, Madrid enjoyed a few in the first half because they played with more energy, winning the majority of duels. He did not score because he lacked simplicity and he had an excess of virtuosity, one last dribble or one extra heel when the path to goal was a much easier pass. In a match that required a lot of work overalls, Madrid abused the tailcoat.
Actually, neither Remiro nor Courtois had hardly any work in the first act. Vinícius had more overflow than in recent days but did not hit the goal. In the 14th minute, after a tremendous run, he narrowly missed his shot. The only resounding occasion was for the Brazilian one minute before the break. In an error in the departure of the ball from Real, Benzema gave Vinícius a goal pass, who stood up to Remiro, who beat him one-on-one when the Bernabeu was already licking his lips with the goal.
Before that there were two other good saves by the San Sebastian goalkeeper from shots by Benzema and Kroos. For Real, well moved by Zubimendi, his moment could have come in a shot from Illarra who took advantage of a mistake by Nacho, but his shot missed the goal.
The second part began with a change of side at Real. Imanol saw that Aihen had suffered a lot and replaced him with Diego Rico, with more score. The game did not vary from how the first had ended. Madrid came out ready to settle the game on the fast track and Real had to tighten their shoulders to defend with a lot of people around Remiro.
Madrid was quick to intimidate, with the Bernabeu very pressing and protesting everything when the game had been safe from controversy.
Imanol immediately made another double change again. He took out Oyarzábal and Brais, with very little said in the game, and took out Navarro and Pablo Marín.
In what already looked a lot like a white siege, La Real found some respite in a counter by Kubo that forced Courtois to make a good save.
It was more of a mirage than anything else for Real because Madrid continued to focus more and more on the San Sebastian area. Elustondo was injured in a game with Camavinga and the youth Olasagasti entered, the fourth change in just over twenty minutes. Zubimendi ended up as a central defender, the boy for everything.
Vinícius again failed one on one against an excellent Remiro. With a quarter of an hour to go, Ceballos and Valverde left and Modric and Asensio entered. Madrid tried until the end, but this time clearly lacking in ideas. The tie left the Bernabeu frustrated and Real happy.
