Real Madrid stumble against Elche -

SIPA

Bitter end of the year: after a remarkable start to winter, Real Madrid ended 2020 with a poor performance against the promoted Elche (1-1) on Wednesday for the 16th day of La Liga, leaving Atlético Madrid, the winner of Getafe 1-0 in the early evening, the place of leader (35 pts).

Despite the opening of the scoring by Luka Modric (20th) on the resumption of a strike from Marco Asensio which had hit the crossbar in a first period of total domination, Real Madrid gave in in the second period, on a penalty whistled against Dani Carvajal and transformed by Fidel Chaves (52nd).

End-of-year misstep: with this draw conceded in the field of promoted Elche, Zinédine Zidane and Real Madrid put an end to their fine streak of five consecutive La Liga victories (six successes in a row in all competitions).

The reigning Spanish champion ends his year 2020 in 2nd place in Liga, two points behind his neighbor and leader Atlético Madrid, who played two games less.

[📺 VIDEO SUMMARY] 🇪🇸 #LaLiga


😵 Real Madrid hold up against Elche!


🥊 A 1-1 draw when Modric opened the scoring!


👉 Fidel Chaves equalized from the penalty spot!


✨ Eden Hazard has made his comeback! Https: //t.co/D5QuxZpfc8

- beIN SPORTS (@beinsports_FR) December 30, 2020

Hazard back

“It’s sure to be a halt.

(...) When I see the first period that we did this (Wednesday) evening, I tell myself that these are two lost points, but we must continue to work hard, ”Zidane encouraged at a press conference post-match.

With this umpteenth setback against an opponent yet largely within his reach this season (after Alavés and Cadiz in La Liga, and Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League), Real Madrid experienced a jump in concentration after the break on Wednesday night, after a month of December where he won all his matches (except the setback in Kiev on December 1).

The only good news of the evening for Zidane, the return to the game of Belgian international winger Eden Hazard, recovered from yet another injury (to the right thigh this time) and came into play in the 77th place in place of Lucas Vazquez.

A very meager reward for the Merengue, left behind by Atlético at the start of 2021.

In the early evening, the "gunslinger" Luis Suarez unblocked the situation for the Colchoneros, extending with a head towards the small right net of Ruben Yanez a free kick filed by Yannick Carrasco (20th).

Suarez, who will be 34 years old on January 24, is back in great shape after his Covid-19 episode, which deprived him of three weeks of competition between mid-November and December 5: after a period of scarcity in early December, The Uruguayan transferred from Barca last summer has scored three times in Madrid's last three games, including a brace against Elche on December 19.

A great way to end 2020 for Diego Simeone's 500th game in La Liga (and his 301st victory).

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