The sudden change in tempo caught Bordeaux completely off guard.
Especially when Real Madrid launched a sequence of passes down the left wing, deliberately drawing in defenders before switching play through Suker and Alonso's link-up.
Higuaín created space for a cross with his individual ability, and Benzema's flick was a stroke of genius.
Suker seized the opportunity and scored the goal.
This attacking sequence lit up the eyes of commentator González.
Real Madrid's attacking coordination was finally coming together.
In the past, Real Madrid played as individuals, relying on Suker's individual brilliance to create goal-scoring chances.
But now, they were gradually showing the results of team chemistry.
The most notable change was that the players had found their roles:
Alonso's distribution, Higuaín's dribbling, Benzema's link-up play in front of goal…Each showcased their individual strengths, now blended into the team.
It wasn't perfect every time, but signs of cohesion were emerging — something that made González feel like Real Madrid's period of growing pains was finally bearing fruit.
The only regret?
It was happening too late!Had this come earlier — even mid-season — they'd have had more chances to experiment and a higher margin for error.
But now, whether it's La Liga, the Champions League, or any other competition — every match was critical.There was no room for mistakes.Still… better late than never.
"Karim! Brilliant flick!"
Suker pointed at Benzema, arms open in delight.
Benzema sprinted to catch up with him and the two embraced.
Benzema was thrilled.
He had finally found his place in the team and had built a good understanding with Suker.
It secured his position in the Real Madrid lineup.
Higuaín, however, pouted.He had contributed to the play, but ended up with neither a goal nor an assist — frustrating.
Why didn't Benzema just shoot directly?
Then at least Higuaín would've been credited with an assist.All Benzema's fault!
As Chamakh tracked back, he brushed shoulders with Ramos.
Ramos deliberately barged into him.
Chamakh stumbled slightly, turned with a glare.
Ramos didn't even look back, but muttered under his breath:
"Clown."
"What did you say?" Chamakh turned sharply and grabbed Ramos by the collar.
His face flushed red with rage.
He had been the one doing all the trash talking before the match — and now he was the one trailing behind.
His performance, compared to Suker's, was like night and day.
And the word "clown" cut deep.
Ramos raised his hands, pretending innocence.
Garay quickly stepped in and shoved Chamakh away.Soon, Marcelo, Alonso, and Diarra surrounded him.
One more wrong move and they were ready to act.
Outnumbered, Chamakh backed down.
At that moment, the whistle blew.
The referee ran over and handed Chamakh a yellow card.
Chamakh was stunned.
"He called me a clown!"
"I didn't hear it," the referee replied coldly. "All I saw was you grabbing Ramos by the collar."
"Are you deaf—mmph!"
His teammate covered his mouth and dragged him away.
The referee had already reached for his pocket, eyes full of warning.
Bordeaux captain Chalm tried to smooth things over, explaining rapidly.
The referee didn't want to disrupt the match, so he let Chamakh off — but kept him under close watch.
"What a disaster," Chalm muttered, frustrated.
Already behind on the scoreboard, now Chamakh had picked up a yellow card in a moment of recklessness.
"Can't you see Ramos was baiting you?" Chalm said sternly. "Save that attitude for before the game — not now! You're playing right into their hands. I don't want to lose this match because of something so stupid. Got it, Chamakh?"
Chalm's voice was heavy with disapproval.
Chamakh opened his mouth, then silently nodded.
"What a farce," González sneered. "I've seen players taunt their opponents before — but at least they had the talent to back it up. Chamakh? Definitely not one of them."
In other words: you're not even good enough to act cocky.
BOOOO!!!!!!
The boos intensified.
Real Madrid fans were more than happy to keep mocking Chamakh, hoping to rattle him even more.
And Chamakh's mindset was indeed starting to crack.
Suker didn't even look at him, as if he didn't exist.
Which made it worse.
The more Chamakh had mocked before the game, the worse he was being humiliated now.
The match resumed quickly.
After conceding, Bordeaux tried to steady themselves and regain control.
But Real Madrid, riding high on momentum, didn't let them.
Suker continued to threaten down the left with his explosive runs.
Marcelo overlapped. Benzema dropped deep to link play.
Higuaín lurked on the far side.
Suker even connected with Alonso and Diarra making forward runs.
Real Madrid's attacks became increasingly fierce.
31st minute.Madrid repeated their earlier move — drawing defenders to the left, Marcelo tried to switch play.
But his pass was off, and the attack fizzled.
Still, they weren't panicked.
Higuaín recycled possession, and Madrid began rebuilding their attack.
Bordeaux's defense was being stretched and pulled apart.
By the 40th minute, Suker and Benzema began to switch positions.
Both were capable of dropping deep and distributing the ball.
This added variety to their attack.
43rd minute.A one-two between Suker and Benzema.
Suker used tight dribbling to escape pressure and played the ball to Benzema.
With his back to goal, Benzema flicked it up, then backheeled it in mid-air into space.
Suker burst through the defense.
"Suker! One-on-one!"
González's eyes lit up.
"Benzema's touch was brilliant!"
The keeper rushed out, closing the angle.A defender had dropped to cover the goal line.
Suker didn't force a shot — instead, with the outside of his foot, he gently passed it back to the penalty spot.
Benzema arrived right on time, calmly side-footing it into the bottom corner.
Real Madrid scored again just before halftime.
"Ohhh~~ Benzema!! What a beautiful move between him and Suker. Suker showed composure — no selfishness — and Benzema was in the perfect spot."
"Real Madrid's chemistry is finally shining through!"
Suker and Benzema put their arms around each other in celebration.
Yes, the goal was important — but the understanding between them was even more rewarding.
A whole season of growing together was finally paying off.
These two goals proved one thing:
No longer was it Suker fighting alone.It was a coordinated front line overwhelming the defense.
Suker's explosiveness was unleashed, and the forward line's synergy was evident.
Admittedly, it was mostly just between Suker and Benzema — but it worked.
Halftime – Real Madrid locker room.
"Hey! We're doing great! Our combos are working — let's keep it up in the second half!"
Benzema was pumped.
A goal, an assist, and great link-up with Suker.
He had played well and cemented his place in the team.
"Gentlemen! I know you're excited, and I hate to kill the mood, but…"
Coach Ledrup raised his hands.
"In the second half, we need to start thinking about defense — the Clásico is just around the corner, and we have to prepare."
The room fell silent.
The Spanish El Clásico.Away at Camp Nou against Barcelona.
A pivotal fixture that could determine the La Liga title.
Ledrup's words brought everyone back to earth.
He nodded in approval, then laid out second-half tactics.
Second Half.
The teams switched sides.
In the first 10 minutes, Real Madrid still attacked aggressively.
But Bordeaux had dropped deep, desperate not to concede again.
One more goal, and the second leg would be meaningless.
They held on, barely, for ten minutes.
Real Madrid then made substitutions.
Higuaín and Marcelo were taken off, replaced with more defensive players.
Higuaín was furious — no goals, no assists, and now subbed off.
"Damn Ledrup!"He wished the coach would leave soon.
He believed the next manager would recognize his talent.
For now, he could only grit his teeth.
After the subs, Real Madrid shifted to a defensive stance.
Suker and Benzema remained up front for counterattacks; the rest focused on defense.
Bordeaux made changes too — trying to balance defense and attack.
But their half-hearted substitutions had no effect.
Full-time.
Real Madrid 2–0 Bordeaux.
They claimed the first-leg win in the Champions League quarterfinals.
"Congratulations to Real Madrid! A solid 2–0 victory. More important than the win itself — their frontline finally found rhythm and chemistry. That's what fans will love most."
"They're showing real signs of cohesion. Let's hope they keep improving!"
Post-match, Suker told the media with a smile:
"This match wasn't just about winning — it was about finding real chemistry."
"Benzema has worked hard to integrate with the team and build understanding with me. That's how we were able to play well together."
"We're not fully there yet, but it's coming. I hope we'll be even more in sync next match."
Afterward, the media turned to Chamakh — again.
Suker ignored them.
The best response was silence.
The more Chamakh clowned around, the less attention Suker gave.
Responding would only fuel more provocations from mediocre players.
And as expected — that night — France's Le Parisien published:
"Chamakh's Clown Act!"
A scathing headline with no mercy.
"Suker is the most influential player in world football today. Naturally, many want to challenge him or steal his spotlight."
"But those who go about it the wrong way — always face consequences."
"Chamakh is a textbook example. Until he learns to respect opponents, he won't become a great — or even a decent — player."
"We can't believe a team's star striker would mock a world-class opponent before the match, refuse to shake hands during it, and act with such poor sportsmanship."
"Modern football may be commercialized, but real players earn headlines with their feet — not their mouths!"
"And to top it off, after all that trash talk… he lost! Utter clown behavior."
France — a land of elegance and manners — was disgusted by Chamakh's antics.Before the match, they tolerated it for the drama.Now, they turned on him.
Chamakh became football's new laughingstock.
A new phrase was even coined:
"The Chamakh Effect" — trash-talking a star only to humiliate yourself. (Crazy)
He wanted to gain fame by targeting Suker — but couldn't handle the backlash.
Waves of mockery spread across Europe.
Even many Bordeaux fans joined in.
He had truly shot himself in the foot.
Meanwhile, Suker paid no attention.
He had two crucial matches ahead.
April 6 – La Liga Round 30 – Racing Santander vs Real Madrid
Following their strong UCL performance, Madrid once again showcased great synergy between Suker and Benzema.
With Di María wreaking havoc on the wing, Madrid won 4–2.
Suker scored two goals, raising his tally to 36.
Benzema contributed a goal and an assist.
Di María scored once, Alonso assisted once.
But the best news wasn't that.
Barcelona lost!
In Round 30, Atlético Madrid hosted Barcelona.
Within 17 minutes, they scored twice, shocking Barça.
Keita played horribly in midfield.Forlán and Agüero kept threatening the goal.
In the 9th minute, Keita's mistake allowed Forlán to steal the ball and assist Agüero.
At 17 minutes, Forlán unleashed a long-range stunner after Valdés spilled the ball.
2–0 down, Atlético parked the bus.
Barça attacked wildly.
In the 71st minute, Ibrahimović pulled one back.
But it wasn't enough.
Final score: Atlético 2–1 Barcelona
The La Liga standings shifted again:
Real Madrid: 27W–2D–1L — 83 pts
Barcelona: 27W–1D–2L — 82 pts
Real Madrid returned to the top!
Fans and players were overjoyed.
Barcelona's form wasn't steady.
Two tough matches — UCL and La Liga — had exhausted them.
They drew 2–2 with Arsenal away, then lost to Atlético.
Upcoming:
UCL home vs Arsenal
La Liga home vs Real Madrid
The pressure was on Barcelona, not Madrid.
Madrid held their ground in La Liga and took the lead in UCL.
And let's be honest — Bordeaux isn't on Arsenal's level.
This is the benefit of a lucky draw!