Sporting 0-0 Real Madrid: Benitez era gets off to low key start
Rafa Benitez saw his Real Madrid side drop two points on Sunday night as his era as the club's manager kicked off against newly promoted Sporting Gijon with an underwhelming goalless draw.
Madrid threw everything forward late on, but couldn't break down a Sporting side who arguably deserved their point. Cristiano Ronaldo's late strike was saved by Ivan Cuellar, but there were few real moments of danger for the home side to contend with.
El Molinon was packed for the occasion, with 30,000 fans dressed in red and white cheering every Sporting attack, and it would have erupted if Toni Sanabria's header had bounced down over the line in the first half. It didn't though, and that was their best chance of the game.
Benitez started the game with Keylor Navas, Danilo, Raphael Varane and Jese Rodriguez in his side. That meant Kiko Casilla, Dani Carvajal, Pepe and James Rodriguez were left on the bench. Karim Benzema was missing with an injury.
Gareth Bale, playing as a No.10, was Madrid's biggest threat in the first half. His pace saw him escape the Sporting defence early on and round Cuellar. However, he was forced wide enough that he couldn't find the target, instead hitting the side netting.
Sporting continued to impress after the break, although they lacked a cutting edge in the final third. They ended the match with no shots on target, which meant they were relying on their defending and a bit of luck to earn them a share of the spoils.
James came on for Madrid after the break, as did Mateo Kovacic for his Madrid debut, but there was to be no late drama. Marcelo headed over from 10 yards after Ronaldo's surge down the left, with Ronaldo himseld then shooting wide, before his late shot was palmed away by Cuellar.
It wasn't the start Benitez would have wanted, especially with the doubts over his arrival in the first place. La Liga looks like having plenty of ups and downs this season, though, and Madrid's depth will ensure they stay in the fight until the very end.
