Real Madrid drew their fourth consecutive match -- three in La Liga and one in the Champions League -- after a disappointing home performance that ended 1-1 with Eibar. Zinedine Zidane's squad struggled to find a consistent rhythm for most of the match and failed to defeat a well-organised, disciplined visiting side. It's Eibar's first La Liga point ever at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Positives
Even though he did not score, Cristiano Ronaldo keeps improving both in shape and in involvement in the offensive game. When the ball finds Gareth Bale, the Welshman is able to create situations that work to the team's advantage. Nacho Fernandez did very well at the centre of the defence, coming in for the injured Raphael Varane.
Negatives
The team looked flat, without an identity, as Zidane can't find the combination to control midfield and take advantage of his offensive arsenal. The injury list keeps growing, as Raphael Varane and James Rodriguez -- injured during the pre-match warm-up -- join Luka Modric and Marcelo as Real players with knocks. The squad have squandered the advantage they built during the first four matches of the season over Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.
Manager rating out of 10
4 -- Zidane has not found the formula to play Bale, Ronaldo and Karim Benzema while keeping the right balance in midfield. After the demanding midweek match in Dortmund, Sunday's contest seemed to require more numbers in the middle of the pitch, but the Frenchman persisted with a similar formation and Real Madrid never managed to fully dominate proceedings. As it becomes more and more clear that the team needs more physical intensity, the reasons for Lucas Vasquez not starting remain a mystery.
Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating):
GK Keylor Navas, 6 -- Could not do much on Eibar's goal, as Fran Rico headed home without a Madridista in sight. Did well for the rest of the match.
DF Daniel Carvajal, 7 -- Even though he did not finish any of his offensive moves, the local kid took good care of his flank.
DF Raphael Varane, 5 -- Had already presented Eibar with two excellent occasions to score before picking up a muscular injury. Not a good 45 minutes from the Frenchman.
DF Pepe, 7 -- The most energetic member of the squad. On a couple of instances he seemed close to losing control of his situation, inches away from very hard fouls. Fortunately, both were false alarms.
DF Danilo, 4 -- The Brazilian played on the left, not his natural habitat by any stretch of the imagination. While this should have had an impact on his ability to move forward, the issues appeared on defence. Eibar's Pedro Leon completely dominated him with a mixture of skill and will. Despite Danilo's insistence in venturing forward, he was well below what this match demanded from him.
MF Mateo Kovacic, 6 -- A bit unpredictable, the Croatian starred in a few offensive moves in which he showed speed and skill. However, he lacks the sharpness to identify where the ball should go. He's a player of instinct, not a calculating one, and this was a contest to be won with intelligence.
MF Toni Kroos, 6 -- Probably tired after the exhausting 90 minutes in Dortmund, Kroos did not impose his class on the match. The German can make the difference by identifying situations of advantage and exploiting them, such as Bale's dominance of the right flank. The Welshman was underfed for most of the match and Kroos should have avoided that.
MF Isco Alarcon, 6 -- Felt his lack of activity, as this was his first start in four months, but showed commitment and class. The only member of the squad succeeded in finding Bale. Probably at fault for not covering Rico in Eibar's goal.
FW Gareth Bale, 8 -- The fact that he scored off a cross from Ronaldo does not begin to tell how much he exerted control over his wing and how many offensive plays the Welshman generated, even though he did not get the ball as often as he should have. Both the midfield and Zidane need to find a way to take advantage of Bale's talent.
FW Karim Benzema, 4 -- Almost invisible during the first half, he didn't even make the pitch after the interval. Far from top form, the Frenchman still can't play three matches in the same week.
FW Cristiano Ronaldo, 7 -- His delightful cross presented Bale with the equaliser, and a few other plays proved that the Portuguese is progressively finding his top form. He only needed a bit of speed or patience to have scored himself.
Substitutes
MF Nacho Fernandez, 8 -- Replaced Varane during half-time. Great performance all around.
FW Alvaro Morata, 6 -- Replaced Benzema to start the second half. Ran constantly, although not always to the right spaces. Saw a yellow for diving.
FW Marco Asensio, NR -- Replaced Isco after 72 minutes. An uninspired outing by the youngster.