Real Madrid made to work harder than expected

Real Madrid were made to work harder than expected on Saturday before taking all three points from their home match against Granada.

Rafael Benitez's side watched how Granada wasted chances to take the lead before Karim Benzema opened the scoring with a 54th minute header which turned out to be the only goal of the game.

As the players ran onto the pitch Cristiano Ronaldo was accompanied by Syrian refugee, Zaid, who became famous when he and his father Osama were tripped by a Hungarian camerawoman a fortnight ago.

The pair arrived in Spain on Wednesday night to begin a new life with Osama being offered a job in a football coaching school.

There was one big surprise in the starting 11 for Real Madrid with Lucas Vazquez in for the injured Gareth Bale when many expected new signing Mateo Kovacic to start.

Granada had lost 9-1 last season, but showed this time they were going to show more fight with Isaac Success showing pace down the right and they were unlucky to see a goal ruled out for offside when El Arabi had been in a legal position.

At the other end Ronaldo and Benzema spurned a double chance, while Granada goalkeeper did well to deny Vazquez after parring a Ronaldo free kick into his path and even better when Ronaldo had set up Luka Modric for a right foot shot.

Real Madrid were lacking in intensity and Kaylor Navas, chasing a fourth clean sheet, had to be off his line fast to block Success' shot after Marcelo was guilty of ball watching.

Success wasted another guilt edged chance early in the second half when he chipped over with only Navas to beat and it was to prove costly as Benzema scored a simple header from an Isco cross following a quickly taken free kick.

Ronaldo sent a couple of chances wide after Benzema's goal, but the game ran out of steam as Granada struggled to create anything after falling behind and Real Madrid will feel satisfied at starting the season without conceding a goal in their four opening league matches. Enditem