Spain’s media yesterday picked over Real Madrid’s 4-1 defeat to Borussia Dortmund, just 24 hours after Bayern Munich’s 4-0 demolition of Liga leaders Barcelona.
While there was recognition of Poland international Robert Lewandowski, who scored all four goals for the German side, the focus for the Madrid media was on the failings of their own side.
“Madrid thrown into the abyss,” sports daily Marca said. “A lamentable performance without shots, play or defensive rigor.”
Inside, the nine-time European champions were lambasted for what the daily assessed was their worst performance since being beaten 5-0 by Barcelona in November 2011.
“I don’t remember a more inane offensive performance,” one commentator wrote. “For a team that intimidates for the quality of its forwards and for the ease with which it scores goals, many times without needing to play brilliantly, their display in Dortmund was more than disappointing.”
The other Madrid sports daily, AS, was more positive, leading with a picture of Cristiano Ronaldo’s first-half equalizer and claiming that Madrid “can pull it out of the fire thanks to this goal by Cristiano.”
The Catalan press, predictably, were less sympathetic.
Sports daily Mundo Deportivo was quick to point out that Bayern stand 20 points clear of Dortmund in the Bundesliga and that “hours after the new ‘end of an era’ for Barca, Madrid also concede four.”
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