Real Madrid vs Cádiz summary: Narrow Madrid win, score, goals, highlights, LaLiga Santander 2022-23
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That's it for LaLiga until after the World Cup, with the league due to resume on the weekend of 31 December.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, will have to wait even longer for their next home fixture.
Tonight's other LaLiga games
In case you missed them, there were two other games played in LaLiga tonight:
Rayo Vallecano 0-0 Celta Vigo
Valencia 3-0 Real Betis
The picture which best sums up the game?
A classy display from Toni Kroos tonight.
The good news for Real Madrid is that he's got seven weeks off coming up.
Hmm. That's not great, is it?
FT Real Madrid 2-1 Cádiz
Real Madrid go into the World Cup-break two points behind Barcelona at the top of LaLiga. Cádiz remain in the relegation zone.
- A ponderous opening 25 minutes from Real Madrid meant Cádiz were comfortable at 0-0.
- Some tough tackling from the visitors sparked Los Blancos into life, although they created little from open play, depending on shots from distance to threaten.
- Eder Militão was left totally unmarked to head Madrid in front before half-time.
- Carlo Ancelotti's side moved the ball much more quickly in the second half and were more dangerous as a result. Kroos looked to have sealed a convincingly win with a fine volley with 20 minutes to go.
- But Cádiz refused to give in and Pérez's strike from close range after a Courtois error set up a nervy finish. Espino should have netted an injury-time equaliser.
Ledesma almost costing Cádiz a third goal as he dallies on the ball. Valverde blasts over.
WHAT A CHANCE FOR CÁDIZ!
A beautiful dink over the Real Madrid defence from Negredo finds Espino right in front of goal but he gets far too much contact on the header and puts it wide. You won't get a better opportunity than that.
Can Cádiz spring a surprise here? They'll have another four minutes to try.
Negredo tries an ambitious - let's say - header from the edge of the D, attempting to loop the ball over Courtois, who was barely off his line. That was never on.
Bro vs bro
Nacho will come on to face his brother Álex after all. Vázquez goes off.
Madrid changes
Ceballos and Camavinga are on. Rodrygo and Modrić off.
Real Madrid 2-1 Cádiz - Lucas Pérez!
Where did that come from?? I don't think Courtois will be happy with that. The Belgian fumbles Bongonda's shot and it's forced home by Pérez after Negredo had failed just before him. Game on!
What an unbelievable miss. And from Modrić, of all people.
Vini pulls off a superb run-around on Iza and races into the area. He lays it on a plate for the Croat, who somehow puts the ball wide from six yards.
Last Cádiz change
Former Real Madrid academy player Álvaro Negredo is on. Sobrino goes off.
That might be the first save Ledesma has made. Vini cuts inside and drills one towards the far corner, beaten away.
A bit of a surprise that Ancelotti hasn't made any subs considering how many games Real Madrid have played this season - he mentioned it pre-match yesterday - and how many players will be heading off to Qatar.
Ocampo doing his best to get Cádiz back into it. A decent effort from distance is blocked. No way through.
Cádiz changes
Lucas Pérez and José Mari replace Lozano and Juan Cala.
2-0 is very different from 1-0. Cádiz could score once but twice seems unlikely.
2-0 Real Madrid - Kroos
What a goal that is from the German! Kroos races onto a bouncing ball and smashes the ball low past Ledesema.
A chance for Modrić to do what he normally does best as he lines up a strike from the edge. Deflected out for a corner.
Tough tackling in midfield from Modrić (yes, Modrić) and Tchouaméni. Madrid are giving out as good as they're getting.
A superb chance for a counterattack for Cádiz completely ruined by a terrible pass from Sobrino. They had a numerical advantage there and blew it.
Silky skills from Mendy as he flicks the ball through Sobrino's legs. He's quickly halted by a cynical bodycheck from San Emeterio, not for the first time tonight.
A bit more possession from Cádiz in the last few minutes but it's the hosts who continue to look the more threatening.
That was Alejo's last involvement of the evening. He and Alcaraz are replaced by Bongonda and Ocampo. They should add a bit of pace to this Cádiz team.
Finally, finally, Alejo is booked. Another off-the-ball flick at Vini. About time.
Courtois immediately releases Vini and Madrid are away. It's worked across to the right to Vázquez, who tees up Valverde, whose goal-bound strike is deflected wide. What a passage of play!
Huge chance for Sobrino to equalise! Lozano plays the former Madrid youth product clean through and he's denied by a sprawling save from Courtois
A little nudge from Alejo sends Mendy into the advertising hoardings. Not sure how the Cádiz man has escaped a yellow so far, he's been fouling all night.
A better start to the second half than to the first from Real Madrid. They're pinning Cádiz back in the early stages.
Vázquez channels his inner Modric and tries an outrageous outside-of-the-boot chip over Ledesma, which drifts just wide.
An early ball into the box from Vázquez finds Rodrygo but he's bundled off the ball by Iza and it's cleared away.
Back underway! No changes.
A perfect cross from that man Kroos for the goal, although how Militão found himself in so much space, I'll never know.
Seven goals, all headers. That's a good stat.
HT Real Madrid 1-0 Cádiz
Militão's goal six minutes before the break separates the teams in a feisty affair.
- Cádiz competed really well, especially in the early stages, when they limited Madrid to shots from distance.
- Vini and Rodrygo have been on the end of a few rough challenges, which has stirred the hosts up after a slow start. Ancelotti's men haven't created many clear openings though, with the breakthrough coming from the second phase of play at a free-kick. Terrible marking allowed Militão to head in unchallenged.
- Cádiz have offered the two best long-range efforts although neither of them tested Thibaut Courtois.
- Five bookings in the first half, with more on the way at this rate...
Fali hits one from a different time zone and it flies just over the bar. It was never going in but that was some connection from the defender.
Two minutes added.
San Emeterio is next to crunch into Vini...no booking.
Sobrino next in the book for pulling back Militão. Not sure what the centre-back was doing pulling off a trick on the touchline...
1-0 Real Madrid - Militão
That's awful marking. Ledesma fists Kroos' corner away but the German whips another cross in and Militão is all alone in acres of space to direct a well-placed header into the bottom corner.
Both Madrid centre-backs have now been booked after being outwitted by Lozano. Alaba has his name taken after excellent hold-up play by the Cádiz forward.
There's a running battle going on out there between Alejo and Vini. One to keep an eye on.
Some end-to-end action, which is just what Cádiz probably don't want.
Vázquez gets into a great position but crosses to nobody in particular then Espino is tackled by Militão just as he broke into the box.
Cádiz have certainly been united so far. Can they hold on?
If, for argument's sake, Cádiz were to decide to 'target' Vini,now would be the ideal situation, what with him having been shown a yellow card.
This has definitely heated up a little bit.
Token yellow cards for Fali and Vinicius in amongst all that.
Some proper argy-bargy going on. Vini isn't happy with roughhouse treatment on Rodrygo, Fali looks to have caught the Brazilian striker off the ball. Valverde fires a shot just wide then it all kicks off.
Vini the meat in a Cádiz sandwich there. Sure he's not being targeted though...
Tchouméni again. Over again. With the aid of a deflection this time. The corner leads to nothing.
Vázuqez is a bit lucky to get away without a yellow there. He swung an elbow at Alcáraz, which could've been at least a yellow on another day.
Madrid are starting to turn the screw a bit but something just feels a bit off. The tempo is quite slow, their passing a little off.
A clear-as-day yellow card for Militão, who hauls back Lozano as he skips away from him.
Yet another shot from outside the box from Madrid, another one well off target. Kroos totally miscues his effort and it goes harmlessly wide.
Tchouaméni has a chance to play Rodrygo clean through but he overhits the pass...by miles.
Cádiz are missing Luis Hernández, who has one of the longest throws in LaLiga. It would've come in handy a couple of times already tonight.
'Flat' I think is the best way to describe Real Madrid so far. Vini tries to change that with a jinking run into the box but he loses the ball before getting a shot away.
So close to the opener for Cádiz! Alejo's shot from the free-kick is blocked but it falls to Espino, who rifles one Valverde-esque towards goal and it clips the bar as it flies over!
Vini getting his own back on Alejo there. But that's a free-kick in a good position for Cádiz.
Real Madrid being restricted to shots from range so far. Modrić this time, a decent strike but comfortably over.
Cádiz will be happy with this start to the game. Madrid have blown a few times away early on this season but the visitors have been pretty compact so far and had a few neat touches on the ball.
And now the first effort on target, from Rodrygo. Nice link-up with fellow Brazilian Vini but that's an easy save for Ledesma from the edge of the box.
First shot in anger from Tchouaméni. Think it stayed in the bottom tier of the stand but only just.
There was plenty of chat pre-match - you'll have seen it if you read Joe's piece - about Vini being targeted by opposition players. Looks like it's started already.
That didn't take long. Vini clattered on the touchline by Alejo.
Here we go! Let's do this.
A family affair
Cádiz's Álex Fernández starts but brotherNacho is on the bench for Real Madrid.
Could they come face-to-face later on?
Real Madrid - a wounded animal?
Remember Real Madrid lost a 'derby' to Rayo Vallecano on Monday. The phrase 'wounded animal' was made for them tonight.
Should we fear for Cádiz...?
Almost set!
A matter of minutes before we get underway at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Who've you got?
Fede Valverde - shooooooot!
Will we see one of these tonight?
My esteemed colleague Joe Brennan covered Ancelotti's press conference in full. Here's (pretty much) every word of it.
Ancelotti: World Cup no excuse for poor form
A few quotes from Carlo Ancelotti's pre-game press conference, in which he gave his thoughts on whether the upcoming World Cup has had an effect on his team's dip in form.
“The World Cup is there but I haven’t seen anyone, in this month leading up to it, training without full commitment; the tackles are even more frequent in the small-sided games and no player has told me anything like that in meetings. The situation is simple: we’re not in the best form but the World Cup was there a month ago and we were playing well then.”
“Despite the fact that end of the year has not been great and has made us angry, plus the defeat against Leipzig affected us, the rest of the year has been amazing. We achieved the goal of winning the Champions League and that’s meant a few important players have missed a few games, like Benzema or Courtois. But I’m not here to look for excuses.”
Thursday night delight
Here's a stat for you.
Real Madrid are unbeaten in their last 14 games played on a Thursday (12 wins and two draws).
Who went back and counted that?
Cádiz holding their own against Real Madrid
Here's something you might not remember or realise. Since returning to LaLiga in time for the 2020-21 season, Cádiz are even-steven with Real Madrid in four games.
October 2020 - Real Madrid 0-1 Cádiz
April 2021 - Cádiz 0-3 Real Madrid
December 2021 - Real Madrid 0-0 Cádiz
May 2022 - Cádiz 1-1 Real Madrid
Los Piratas unbeaten in two visits to Santiago Bernabéu. Can Real Madrid pull off a shock win?
Here come the boys in white.
I make that...24 minutes until kickoff!
If watching the warm-up is your kind of thing, you're in luck!
Cádiz starting XI
Video line-up announcements - in number order - really are the bane of any minute-by-miunter's life. But you can only work with the tools you've got.
Ledesma; Iza, Fali, Cala, Espina; Alejo, Alcaraz, San Emeterio, Sobrino; Álex, Lozano
It's been some season for Fede Valverde.
Six goals and two assists in the league for the Uruguayan in 13 matches. I'd fancy him to get on the scoresheet again tonight.
Friends before kickoff but foes for 90 minutes. You get the feeling Cádiz will need to turn this game into a battle if they're to take anything from this game. Not that Real Madrid lack fight...
Cádiz's recovery
After five league games, Cádiz had a grand total of zero points.
Following the 4-0 home defeat to Barça, things have picked up, with two wins, four draws and two defeats, which has put them in touching distance of a host of teams just above them.
Real Madrid stuttering after superb start
It's turned into a funny old season for Real Madrid. They started the campaign by winning 14 and drawing two of their first 16 games in all competitions but they've since won just one of the last four and taken just a point from the last six available in the league, which has enabled Barcelona to cement their place at the top.
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You may have noticed that Karim Benzema's name is again missing from the Real Madrid line-up. What's going on with the French striker?
My colleagues Carlos Forjanes and Keiran Quaile have got the answer.
Before we get going, if you’re looking for a place where you can watch the game, then look no further! Here’s all the info you need.
Just make sure you keep this page open too….
Real Madrid starting XI
As is pretty much ALWAYS the case, Real Madrid have gone early with their line-up.
Courtois; Vázquez, Militão, Alaba, Mendy; Modrić, Tchouaméni, Kroos; Valverde, Rodrygo, Vini.
No rest for the wicked. That's as strong as if gets with who's available.
Cádiz – a point adrift of safety
Few – if anyone – will be expecting Cádiz to win this match but they could really do with three points. And I’m pretty sure we said the same thing when they hosted Atlético Madrid a couple of weeks ago, a game they won 3-2. Sergio’s outfit are currently in 19th spot out of 20 although they have a game in hand over a host of teams just above them in the standings. The problem is that this is that game in hand.
Real Madrid – five points adrift of Barcelona at the top of LaLiga
This is actually a pretty big game for both teams. If you’d told me just a few weeks ago that Real Madrid would go into a home match against Cádiz on 10 November under pressure, I’d have thought you were mad. But here we are.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men are five points behind Barcelona at the top of LaLiga, so they really need to win this game to avoid heading into the World Cup-break with a rotten taste in their mouths.
An hour-and-a-half to go until kickoff
The game kicks off at 9.30pm local time in Madrid, that’s 6.30pm ET / 3.30pm PT.
Make sure you stay with me for the build-up before then, though!
You absolutely cannot.
One of my favourite stadiums in world football, I must say (not exactly a hot take)
Real Madrid vs Cádiz – last LaLiga game before 2022 World Cup
Hello! Thanks for joining me (Roddy) for live coverage of Thursday’s LaLiga clash between Real Madrid and Cádiz at the Santiago Bernabéu. Both sides' last game before the World Cup and, in fact, the last LaLiga game until the end of December.