On Sunday, Real Madrid, the defending champion, European champion, and winner of the European Super Cup, overcame Almeria, who had just recently made their way back to the top level after a seven-year exile, 2-1.
Following Almeria’s sixth-minute goal from Belgian Largy Ramazani, the second division champions from the previous season, Almeria advanced thanks to goals from Lucas Vasques (61) and Austrian David Alaba (75).
Coach Carlo Ancelotti of Real Madrid made the decision to rest some of his players from the Super Cup match against Eintracht Frankfurt, especially in the midfield and defensive lines. Brazilian midfielder Casemiro and Croatian playmaker Luka Modric were replaced by French midfielders Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelian Chuamini at the start of the game.
Chuamini came from Monaco and joined the royal team in exchange for a sizable sum of cash.
While he was supported in the attacking line by French striker Karim Benzema, who led the league in goals scored last season with 24.
Ramazani, who received a beautiful pass from Inigo Iguaras, dribbled past Rudiger, and sent a countershot past Thibaut Courtois of Belgium, gave Almeria a 1-0 lead and stunned the visitors (8).
In front of Uruguayan Federico Valverde, Real Madrid pressed, and Almeria goalkeeper Fernando Martinez came to the team’s aid (16).
Later, Martinez returned to block Rudiger’s header (40).
Real Madrid thought they had equalised, but the goal by Vasques was disallowed by the referee for offside (43).
Real Madrid failed to score in the first half after striking seven balls between the three woods.
At the start of the second half, Modric replaced Camavinga, and then Belgian Eden Hazard replaced Chuamini to improve the efficiency of the assault lines (58).
Vasques of Real did, in fact, score Real’s equaliser after Darbaka was fouled in front of the Almeria goal (61).
The Austrian international took a free kick immediately after going down and struck it with his left over the wall to settle into the net as trump Ancelotti then pulled another foul in the final quarter of the game (75).
Carlos Soler converted a first-half penalty kick into the game’s lone goal in overtime.
Erai Kommert, a Swiss player, was sent off in the 52nd minute, leaving Valencia, led by new Italian coach Gennaro Gattuso, to finish the game with ten men.
Girona, on the other hand, was unable to equalise due to a numerical deficit in its opponents ranks.
Real Madrid scored an exhilarating victory to start the defence of their domestic title.
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