Click here to see Real Madrid vs Galatasaray Video Highlights- Bernabeu Trophy- 18 August, 2015
After a gap of a year (the 2014 edition was not held owing to an overcrowded schedule for Real with their Spanish and European Super Cup commitments), the Trofeu Bernabeu returns to Spain, with Real Madrid taking on Galatasaray in what will be the 36th edition of the tournament. The game will serve as Real’s final friendly fixture and a last chance for Rafa Benitez to fine tune preparations ahead of their league opener against Sporting.
Galatasaray will not be taking any fee for playing this game, with Real only bearing their travel and accomodation expenses. Gala also played in this fixture back in 2011, with Millonarios and Al-Sadd being Real’s opponents in 2012 and 2013 respectively.
Benitez’s side drew blanks in their last friendly on Sunday against Valerenga in Norway as those on the fringes of the first team fluffed their lines. Cristiano Ronaldo was the most notable absentee for Los Blancos, while the likes of Sergio Ramos and Karim Benzema – two players who have spent the summer generating plenty of transfer speculation, also did not feature.
Of the fearsome BBC forward line, only Gareth Bale was on show in Oslo and, despite offering glimpses of what he is capable of, he was unable to provide the spark expected of the world’s most expensive footballer.
Video Highlights from Valerenga v Real Madrid- 9 August, 2015
Luka Modric, James Rodriguez and Jese were also far from their sparkling best, meaning that much of the attention fell on the young shoulders of Martin Odegaard, who was back playing in his homeland, and the teen showed plenty of confidence and assurance when in possession.
Still only 16 years of age, the highly-rated playmaker is being offered senior minutes by Real this summer as they continue to weigh up whether his ongoing development would be best served in the Spanish capital or during a loan spell elsewhere.
Despite his tender years, Odegaard is a performer with six caps for Norway to his name and is the youngest debutant in Real’s illustrious history – having made his bow off the bench in the final game of last season.
For now, though, he remains one for the future and Real need to start getting things right in the present.
They may have ended the 2014/15 campaign just two points adrift of champions Barcelona, while progressing to the semi-finals of the Champions League as holders, but to see their fiercest of rivals end the season with a Treble-winning party will have hurt those at the Santiago Bernabeu – and ultimately led to the departure of coach Carlo Ancelotti.
A window of opportunity to bridge the gap on Barca was opened this summer, with the Catalans still operating under a transfer embargo, but there has been a surprising lack of activity on the recruitment front so far – with no ‘Galactico’ welcomed through the doors and too much time and energy wasted on the pursuit of Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea.
If Real are to prove football betting experts wrong and get themselves back on top of things at home and abroad, then they need to offer considerably more than they did against Valerenga over the weekend. At this moment, Barca have significantly shorter odds on winning La Liga, for example £10 on them at this stage, will get you only £16.15 in total, but with Real, it’ll get you £27.50. It shows that the market doesn’t think that Benitez has enough ammo to be able to upstage Barca in his first season.
Real’s biggest signing of the summer so far has been Danilo – a right-back – and while that may be a deal which helps to add depth in an area they obviously feel light, you get the feeling that those keeping a watch brief over at the Nou Camp are hardly going to be quaking in their boots at the summer business overseen in the capital.
Both Ronaldo and Ramos have begun training with the squad and are expected to play some part in the Galatasaray friendly. Ronaldo has been suffering from a back problem that forced him to miss the Audi Cup, while Ramos picked up a knock on his right leg during that mini tournament that also featured AC Milan, Bayern Munich and Tottenham Hotspur.
Real and Gala have played a fair bit in recent times, apart from the 2011 Bernabeu Trophy, they also played twice against each other in both the 2012/13 and 2013/14 Champions League seasons.
Real Madrid vs Galatasaray- Trofeo Bernabeu- 18 August, 2015.