On the night that Cristiano Ronaldo did not show up, it was Casemiro who inspired Real Madrid to a 3-1 win over Napoli after they went a goal down.
Even a Diego Maradona team-talk couldn't halt Real Madrid's march in the Champions League. They have one foot in the quarter-finals after a comfortable win over Napoli, despite a howler from Keylor Navas.
Maradona's pep talk in the bowels of the Bernabeu before the game worked the trick early on with Napoli taking the lead, although the goal owed more to Madrid's blundering keeper than Maradona's inspiration.
Real Madrid have publicly backed their Costa Rican goalkeeper in recent weeks but they are intent on bringing David De Gea or Thibaut Courtois to the club and on eight minutes there was a reminder of why
Marek Hamsik played a quick ball through the heart of Real Madrid's defence and Navas' positioning was all wrong to deal with what came next.
Lorenzo Insigne ran on to the pass and from 35 yards out he hit his shot so quickly that it bent around the keeper and just inside his right-hand upright before he could adjust.
Could La Liga's other big club tumble 24-hours after Barcelona? Madrid had conceded early on but they were playing well. Soon they were level.
There had been only 23 seconds showing on the clock when Benzema created, but failed to take, his first chance with Pepe Reina saving his shot.
His intentions were clear – after several weeks of harsh criticism he was determined to get his 51st Champions League goal in his 89th game.
It came when Dani Carvajal floated a cross into the six-yard box and he powered a header past Reina to level the scores on the night and to go one ahead of Thierry Henry, becoming the Frenchman with most Champions League goals.
The Bernabeu was now fully behind Real Madrid and Ronaldo should have made it 2-1 moments later.Â
He had come into the game having failed to score in his last 433 minutes of Champions League football but instead of ending the drought just before the half-hour mark he blazed over with only Reina to beat and looked in vain for an offside flag that would have saved his blushes.
Napoli still poured forward. No one in Serie A has scored more goals and they showed no fear against the European Champions. But just before half time they should have gone 2-1 down.
Carvajal and Ronaldo combined well down the right and put Benzema in the clear. Reina came out to meet the striker and did enough to ensure he sent his shot just wide.Â
The 1-1 half-time score was a fair reflection of an even half but not a great one to take to the Sao Paolo stadium. Could Madrid find something extra in the second period?Â
They could and it came quickly and in double portions. First Toni Kroos crisply stroked the ball past Reina after Ronaldo's clever dribble to the byline and intelligent pull-back.
Then Casemiro lashed in the third from all of 25 yards out with the pick of the night's goals. Madrid had put a safe distance between themselves and Maurizio Sarri's team.
Zinedine Zidane took Sergio Ramos off with 20 minutes left. He looked to be carrying a knock and Madrid looked home and dry. Â
But they sat back in the last ten minutes and with Navas flailing at his back post Jose Callejon squeezed in what looked like a second goal for Napoli only for the linesman to raise his flag for offside.
Madrid deserved their two-goal margin. James Rodriguez was also denied by Reina and Marcelo pulled a shot wide when set up by Ronaldo. They should finish the job in Italy in the second leg and no one will want them in the last-eight.
They began the season prioritizing La Liga but with Barcelona going, going, almost gone they must feel that a league and Champions League double is on for them this season.
Credit: Daily Mail
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