Courtois saves four points in six days

Real Madrid - Rayo Vallecano was in time added on when Courtois saved two point-blank efforts from Rayo. Thus saving two points, just as he did against Huesca. Real Madrid have struggled to beat the bottom two clubs in the table. Obviously that's what the keeper is there for, but relying on your keeper isn't expected of a super-club. Before Madrid relied on Cristiano Ronaldo, and the interventions of the keeper on duty weren't so important. But Florentino Pérez is saving up to redo the Bernabéu and with Cristiano he saved himself a fat salary. In exchange Mariano came back, who, clearly, isn't the same. Benzema does what he can, he's taking on more responsibility than ever, but the situation needs something more.

A lack of goal-threat in Real Madrid - Rayo Vallecano

The game was played out between two sides who are struggling to score. Goals don't come from coach's formulas - these serve to prevent the opponents scoring, dominate the game and even get the ball up to the striker or strikers. But goals are bought. People can either score goals or they can't - it's a special thing. Some goal scorers aren't even that good at football (others of course are the best in the business) but the one thing they have is the ability to get the ball in the back of the net. Bale has hints of it - but he's chronically injury-hit. Benzema is more of a footballer than a goal-scorer. Rayo's goals come from Raúl de Tomás, but he's on loan from Madrid and, of course, they didn't let him play.

Club World Cup next for Real Madrid

So it finished 1-0 at the end of a boring game which ended up annoying the fans who had stayed in the Bernabéu, which wasn't everyone. Some left early, bored, and here the first rule of show business should be remembered: never be boring. Next up is the Club World Cup, which a short while ago I saw as being a source of consolation for Madrid - an easy title against teams from places with a level of football inferior to that of Europe. But having seen their poor performances in three consecutive games against Huesca, CSKA (which was worse than poor) and Rayo, I don't know what to think. This low-energy Madrid don't frighten anyone.