Madrid Held As Ronaldo Sees Red, Atletico Go Top Of La Liga

Madrid (AFP) - Cristiano Ronaldo was sent-off as Real Madrid lost ground in the La Liga title race with a 1-1 draw away to Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.

Atletico Madrid became outright leaders for the first time since their double winning season in 1996 earlier in the day with a 4-0 win over Real Sociedad on Sunday.

The draw moves Real level with Barcelona, who suffered a shock defeat at home to Valencia on Saturday, three points behind Atletico.

It could have been so much better for Madrid as after a difficult opening 45 minutes, Jese Rodriguez looked to have them on the road to a 11th consecutive victory when he prodded home Ronaldo's cross 25 minutes from time.

However, after Ibai Gomez had spectacularly equalised, Ronaldo was shown a soft red card for lashing out at Carlos Gurpegi.

"I think it is difficult for me to judge because I wasn't there but the images show that it was an exaggerated reaction," Real boss Carlo Ancelotti said about Ronaldo's red card.

"It could have been different because we scored first and then controlled the game well.

"Bilbao scored a fantastic goal, but, in general, I personally am satisfied with how Real Madrid played."

Ancelotti's men could have been in front after just 20 seconds as Ronaldo took advantage of a poor clearance by Gorka Iraizoz, but his effort flew inches wide.

Thereafter, it was Athletic who had the upper hand in the first-half and should have been in front when Aduriz shot wide when clean through on Diego Lopez.

Iker Muniain also passed up a great chance to open the scoring when he miscontrolled when unmarked inside the area.

However, Madrid responded after the break and Iraizoz was forced into two flying saves to deny Luka Modric and Karim Benzema.

The visitors did finally find a way through 25 minutes from time as Benzema fed Ronaldo on the left and his low cross was turned home on the stretch by Jese.

Real's lead lasted just nine minutes as Gomez made a stunning introduction as a substitute as with his second touch he fired an effort from 20 yards in off the inside of the post.

Madrid were then left to hold on for a point when Ronaldo saw red after a coming together with Gurpegi after having a penalty appeal turned down.

Gomez was denied a second by a brilliant save from Lopez, whilst the Madrid keeper also had to be alive to hold Aduriz's header as the spoils were shared.

Earlier, Atletico moved top on an emotional evening at the Vicente Calderon, as former players and fans paid their tributes to former Spain and Atletico player and coach Luis Aragones, who died on Saturday, before the match.

The Atletico fans remained silent for the first eight minutes before beginning to chant Aragones' name in a tribute to the number he wore as a player with Los Rojiblancos.

And Atletico boss Diego Simeone was pleased with how his side dealt with the emotion of the evening.

"When someone like Luis leaves us there is pain and sadness, but today the fans, the game and that silence for the first eight minutes before they sang his name moved me. From above he would be wearing red and white and happy with the bravery we showed.

"Real Sociedad made it difficult without creating great chances. Defending didn't worry me, but the problem was when you don't attack and it was difficult for us to get out in the second-half.

"The changes gave us some freshness. We had the ball more and we managed to get going again. It is a win against a very difficult opponent."

After a quiet start, David Villa, the competition's top scorer when Aragones led Spain to the European Championships in 2008, fittingly opened the scoring as he swept home Diego Costa's low cross.

Villa's joy didn't last long, though, as he had to be substituted just two minutes later after pulling up with a muscular injury.

Sociedad enjoyed the majority of possession after the break as Atletico decided to sit on their lead, but the Basque side failed to seriously test Courtois.

Costa made sure of the three points 18 minutes from time when he coolly slotted Raul Garcia's through ball into the far corner.

Atletico struck again just two minutes later as Miranda rose highest to power home Koke's corner.

And Diego Ribas rounded off the scoring on his return to the club after completing a deadline day loan move from Wolfsburg when blasted high into the roof of the net three minutes from time.

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Why Real Madrid Sold Mesut Ozil

The German's £42m sale to Arsenal on deadline day proved unpopular with the fans and some of the players, but the Spanish side had their reasons for dispensing with the playmaker

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"Don't sell Ozil," they screamed. The fans had come along to the Santiago Bernabeu to welcome new signing Gareth Bale on Monday, but they also had a message for Florentino Perez. The president put his finger to his lips, however, to silence the chants. And hours later, Mesut was gone. 

Some of the players echoed the fans' frustrations. "If I were in charge at Madrid, Ozil would be one of the last to be leaving," Sergio Ramos said. And Alvaro Arbeloa added: "He said goodbye on Sunday, but I thought he was joking. Ozil is different; there is no-one else like him in the world - it's a shame and a big loss."

Former coach Jose Mourinho was also surprised Madrid allowed Ozil to leave. "He is unique," the Portuguese pondered. "The best number 10 in the world." Two years ago, Mourinho had spoken of building a "young team for the future" at the Santiago Bernabeu. And Ozil was supposed to be a big part of that.

Now he will not be, but Madrid's move for Bale brought with it the need to recoup some funds and even though Real recovered almost €60 million [£51m] through the sales of Gonzalo Higuain, Raul Albiol and Jose Callejon to Napoli, all of that and more had been splashed on a summer spending spree which saw Perez purchase midfielder Asier Illarramendi for an estimated €38m [£32m], Isco for €30m [£25.3m], defender Dani Carvajal for €6.5m [£5.5m] and pivot Casemiro for €6m [£5m]. All of that before Bale's €100m [£86m] move from Tottenham.

Madrid had been prepared to include Angel Di Maria in the deal to buy Bale from Spurs, but the Argentina attacker chose to stay and fight for his future at the Bernabeu and impressed coach Carlo Ancelotti in pre-season. When the Italian asked his forwards for extra intensity in training, Di Maria responded. Ozil did not.

The German was included in Madrid's first official game this term, a hard-fought 2-1 win over Betis at the Bernabeu in which summer signing Isco shone to save his side. He had been paired with Ozil in a four-man midfield also featuring Luka Modric and Sami Khedira, but overshadowed the German with an assist and the late goal which gave the team all three points.

But Betis had caused Madrid all sorts of problems and Ancelotti called for better defensive discipline from his midfielders. "Isco and Ozil have to learn how to defend," the Italian said. "We need quality players, but they must work defensively. That's the key to the season, finding the balance with quality players."

Ozil was restored to his usual role in the centre for the trip to Granada in the second round of La Liga, but again Isco impressed from a deeper role, while Di Maria created the only goal of the game for Karim Benzema with a pass to Ronaldo. Substituted with an hour gone, the German trudged off indignantly, walked straight to the showers and boarded the coach as soon as the final whistle had been blown. It was the last time he was to be seen on the pitch for Madrid.

On Sunday, Isco starred once again as he hit two goals in the 3-1 win at home to Athletic Bilbao. The other, a Cristiano Ronaldo header, had come from a Di Maria free kick and, without Ozil, Madrid played their finest football of the season.  

The German had been on the bench and did not play a single minute. And by the end of the day, his move to Arsenal had been all agreed,

But the popular playmaker never looked likely to be first choice under Ancelotti. The Italian was unimpressed by Ozil's attitude in training and, although he wanted to keep the German at the club, he understood that a sale was necessary following the significant outlay on Bale and the funds needed to offer Ronaldo a new contract.

Madrid had long looked to remove Kaka from their wage bill and the Brazilian moved on for free to former club AC Milan on Monday. But still the club looked to recoup extra funds and with Di Maria having forced his way into Ancelotti's plans, Ozil ended up being the one to leave.

The club were also unhappy at the German's constant push (via his father) for an improved contract. Ozil had demanded parity with Ronaldo and, when that request was refused, asked for an additional €2m per year. He will now double his money at Arsenal.

MESUT OZIL AT REAL MADRID: 2010-2013
Total games Goals Assists La Liga titles Total trophies	159 27 71 1 3

And the move made sense. At his brilliant best, Ozil may be - as Mourinho claims - the finest number 10 in world football. Yet too often at Madrid he would struggle with his fitness, run out of steam late in games. Never one of the side's strongest characters, there was also a tendency to go missing mentally in the very big matches. When he was at his prime both physically and mentally, he could be unplayable - but that was by no means all of the time.

With Isco and Bale on board, he was never likely to be first choice, either. Or rarely. Lacking the defensive discipline to play in central midfield (even compared to Modric, who won the ball back brilliantly against Athletic), the German struggles on the right because he is unable to go wide, lacks pace, cuts inside constantly and rarely tracks back. Both Bale and Di Maria are better options here, in any case.

That just leaves the playmaker position and that role is reserved for Isco. The former Malaga man is more of an all-round player than Ozil; more athletic, quicker, taller and able to operate in a number of different positions, the Spain star also boasts brilliant vision and tremendous technique. Crucially, he will score goals as well. So far, he has hit three already in just three games and also set up one of Madrid's other three strikes in 2013-14. At 21, he is also nowhere near his peak. Whether he can go to form such a successful association with Ronaldo remains to be seen (Ozil set up 27 goals for Cristiano in three seasons), but all of the talent is there for him to become an ever better player than the German. Arguably, in fact, he is already there.

So instead of being left with an unhappy player struggling for consistency, Madrid have cashed in with the biggest sale in their history (€42m [£35m] for Robinho in 2008 was the previous high). And although fans will remember how Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder were forced to move on against their will to accommodate Kaka and Ronaldo in 2009, this transfer was as much about Ozil's attitude and unwillingness to stay and fight as it was about making money for Madrid. So despite his tremendous talent, it was probably the best solution in the end. The only solution.