With Real Madrid’s hitman injured, the 21-year-old stepped up in his place and made his case for more minutes with a perfect hat-trick
In Kylian Mbappe’s absence the question was always whether Real Madrid would have enough attacking impetus to win and avoid heaping pressure on Xabi Alonso right from the start of the new year. Turns out the answer was rather simple.
With the Frenchman injured, the 21-year-old Gonzalo Garcia stepped up in his place and delivered a perfect hat-trick to help Madrid crush Real Betis at the Santiago Bernabeu. Garcia has had chances before and taken them. But the nature of opportunities at a club the size of Madrid has meant that he has had to be patient regardless. After coming through from Real Madrid Castilla last season, he could only play a total of 53 minutes spread across three substitute appearances in La Liga, and eight minutes off the bench in the Copa del Rey quarter-final against Leganes.
But he nevertheless assisted Jude Bellingham’s second goal in the league game against Sevilla, and in the Copa del Rey game he scored the stoppage time winner to send Madrid into the semi-finals. Then in the Club World Cup in the summer he had more chances after Mbappe was sidelined from the very start of the summer due to a bout of gastroenteritis, and he impressed. Garcia netted four goals in six appearances to emerge as joint-top scorer in the competition.
But again he has been relegated to snatches this season due to competition and the high-stakes game of the top level. Before Betis’ visit he had made only one league start, against Espanyol in September when he played for an hour; and then he has had 12 substitute appearances, which total a meagre 200 minutes.
The player has incredible quality. Take his second goal against Betis. After having opened the scoring with a back-post header, the youngster received the ball from Federico Valverde on the edge of the box, brought it down with his chest, and then quickly unleashed a half volley into the bottom left corner of goal. His third was a cheeky, and at the same time practical, backheel with his left foot to finish from Arda Guler’s cross.
Madrid kicked off the game on the front foot, dominating possession against a Betis side that have won six of their last eight and are gunning for Europe. Vinicius Junior was lively down the left side and the impressive Rodrygo, starting his third straight game, was always looking to cause problems. He tested Alvaro Valles in goal early on with a scorching effort from 25 yards, before delivering the assist for Garcia’s opener via a free kick.
After Angel Ortiz had fouled Vinicius, Rodrygo sent a delicious cross towards the far post and Garcia had made the right movement to set himself up for a free header back across goal into the far corner. Betis had started in torpor but improved as the half wore on, Nelson Deossa and Cucho Hernandez both coming close.
Garcia’s sublime second five minutes into the restart cooled tensions for Madrid before Raul Asencio scored his first goal for the club six minutes later, heading in from Rodrygo’s corner. At that point Madrid were cruising toward a winning start to the year.
After Hernandez defied Antonio Rudiger, Thibaut Courtois and Asencio to fire in for Betis after the hour, there was a chance, no matter how slim, for the visitors to fight for a point at the Bernabeu. Antony and Giovani Lo Celso both had a few chances and Rodrigo Riquelme hit the post, but Garcia soon smothered the dying embers of the visitors’ hope when he completed his hat-trick with eight minutes to go. Fran Garcia made it 5-1 in stoppage time but by then Betis were already wishing for an end to the game.
