Real Madrid travelled to El Alcoraz to take on Huesca this afternoon in La Liga in need of a victory, and they got one. They conceded first but managed to mount a comeback to win 2-1, easing the pressure somewhat on Zinedine Zidane.
They went into the game third, ten points behind Atletico Madrid and a point clear of fourth-placed Sevilla. Victory has seen them leapfrog Barcelona into second place. Huesca remain rooted to the bottom of the table with just 16 points from 22 games.
Los Blancos will see the result as a welcome recovery from losing to Levante last weekend, a result that came hot on the heels of exits from both the Supercopa de Espana and the Copa del Rey.
“It’s a very important victory, it’s very important to climb the table,” Zidane said post-match in comments carried by Marca. “We played with character, and it’s very important to climb the table and win. [We’re getting there] little by little.
“The character we’ve shown has been very important. We always believed we could change the game, and it’s important to get a result by coming back when you’re losing 1-0.”
Zidane also spoke about Sergio Ramos, who missed the game because he was getting an operation done on his left knee. “It was important for him,” he said. “It had to be done and he’s calm. It had to be done because he was on the edge, and recovery will begin tomorrow.”
Madrid started the game poorly, dominating possession but proving unable to find that cutting edge. Then, shortly after the second half got underway, Javi Galan capped a quick break with a clever finish to give Huesca a rare lead.
Los Blancos got back on level terms five minutes before the hour, however, after French centre back Raphael Varane pounced on a loose ball to score. He repeated the trick six minutes from time to secure a brace for himself and a crucial result for his team.
