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Real Madrid logo
Champions League | Group Stage
Dec 9, 2014 at 7.45pm UK
 
Ludogorets

4-0

Ronaldo (20' pen.), Bale (38'), Arbeloa (79'), Medran (88')
FT(HT: 2-0)

Player Ratings: Real Madrid 4-0 Ludogorets Razgrad

Sports Mole analyses how the players fared in Real Madrid's Champions League win over Ludogorets Razgrad.

Real Madrid extended their winning streak to a record-breaking 19 with a 4-0 victory over Ludogorets in the Champions League tonight.

Marcelinho was red-carded after just 19 minutes at the Santiago Bernabeu, with Cristiano Ronaldo slotting the resulting penalty.

Gareth Bale added a second before the break, while Alvaro Arbeloa and Alvaro Medran completed the scoring in a lethargic second-half display from the Blancos.

The victory saw Madrid usurp El Clasico rivals Barcelona by snatching the Spanish record for consecutive wins, while also finishing Group B with a 100% record.

Here, Sports Mole sorts the heroes from the villains from tonight's clash at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Gareth Bale of Real Madrid CF celebrates scoring their second goal during the UEFA Champions League Group B match against Ludogorets on December 9, 2014© Getty Images



REAL MADRID

Goal

Keylor Navas: Did not have a lot to do but he did it well, palming away numerous decent shots from Ludogorets throughout, though his athleticism perhaps made the saves look more impressive than they were. (6/10)

Defence

Alvaro Arbeloa: Looked determined to bag a goal tonight after venturing forward far more often than usual, and he did by adding the third. Rarely tested defensively. (7/10)

Raphael Varane: Would have scored had Marcelinho not handled his header off the line. Not much to do defensively but he looked alert throughout. (6/10)

Nacho: Looked a tad shaky at times in the heart of Real's defence but was fortunate that he had barely anything to do. Might have been the weak link had Ludogorets kept 11 men on the field. (4/10)

Fabio Coentrao: Swung in a few very decent deliveries but they were not frequent enough. Ludogorets identified him as the weak link by constantly attacking down the left, but he stood up well to it. (6/10)

Midfield

Asier Illarramendi: Comfortably Real's best player on the field, Illarramendi was brilliant in and out of possession; forcing the opposition into numerous errors and set up a host of excellent chances for his teammates. Brilliant performance. Sami Khedira should be worried. (8/10)

Toni Kroos: Excellent range of passing throughout and unfortunate not to score after seeing a first-half shot cannon off the post. Also set up Bale's goal with a fine cross from a corner. (7/10)

Isco: Endured an indifferent first half, missing a one-on-one with Stoyanov but he grew far more influential in the second 45 minutes. (7/10)

Attack

Gareth Bale: The Welshman was decent and his goal is just desserts for a very effective performance, though he will feel like he should have scored more than once after spurning a few chances. (7/10)

Javier Hernandez: Very quiet performance from the Mexican. Should have scored but Stoyanov kept him out in the second half, before selfishly going for goal instead of squaring to Isco for a certain goal late on. Karim Benzema's place in the first XI is very safe. (4/10)

Cristiano Ronaldo: Opened the scoring from the penalty spot but often cut a very frustrated figure and looked like he was trying too hard to score again. Far from his best. (6/10)

Substitutes

Marcelo: Should have been booked for diving in an otherwise solid cameo at left-back. (5/10)

Alvaro Medran: Marked his Champions League debut with a deflected goal late on to cap a good win. Little to note other than that. (6/10)



LUDOGORETS RAZGRAD

Goal

Vladislav Stoyanov: Absolutely brilliant performance from the keeper, producing a series of excellent saves to frustrate the Blancos time and time again. Hugely unlucky to have conceded four goals. (8/10)

Defence

Junior Caicara: Got forward plenty but could perhaps be guilty of doing so at the wrong times, leaving plenty of space behind him which Isco capitalised on - particularly in the second half. (6/10)

Cosmin Moti: If FIFA dished out medals of honour for bravery then he'd be in with a shout for constantly throwing his body in the line of fire to keep out the Blancos. (6/10)

Georgi Terziev: Did brilliantly to deny a certain goal by pressuring Bale before he could pull the trigger, but that good work went to waste when the Welshman out-jumped him in the subsequent corner for the second goal. Good defensive display overall, though. (6/10)

Yordan Minev: Struggled big time with Bale and contributed very little to Ludogorets's counter-attacks. (4/10)

Midfield

Fabio Espinho: Tested Navas once or twice with speculative shots, but the midfielder was quite sloppy in possession overall and found himself substituted just after the hour mark. (5/10)

Mihail Alexandrov: Never really got into the game and was also substituted after 60 minutes. (4/10)

Svetoslav Dyakov:Had perhaps Ludogorets's best shot of the game in the second half in a rare foray into enemy territory, but it was never beating Navas. Operated as a fifth defender at times. (5/10)

Virgil Misidjan: Terziev was beaten in the air by Bale for the second goal, but it was Misidjan who allowed the Welshman to run past him en route to nodding home. Did test Navas early on, but his influence progressively waned. (4/10)

Marcelinho: One of the big reasons why Ludogorets started the game so well, testing Navas with a few shots early on, but he was red-carded for a moment of stupidity on 19 minutes and it jeopardised Ludogorets's chances of a miracle. (4/10)

Attack

Dani Abalo: Cut a frustrated figure for much of the game and the ex-Celta Vigo man never got a sniff of a chance throughout his 90 minutes. (4/10)

Substitutes

Wanderson: Helped inject a bit of life into Ludogorets's attack at a time when the hosts were clinging on to their two-goal deficit. (6/10)

Anicet Abel: Replaced Espinho on 63 minutes but was perhaps less effective than the player he replaced. (4/10)

Junior Quixada: Replaced Misidjan as Ludogorets went with two up front in desperation, but it never looked like reaping any rewards. (4/10)


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Gareth Bale of Real Madrid CF celebrates scoring their second goal during the UEFA Champions League Group B match against Ludogorets on December 9, 2014
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Match Analysis: Real Madrid 4-0 Ludogorets Razgrad
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