Marcelo lit up Real Madrid’s final friendly of the summer with a stunning individual goal to give his team a 2-1 victory over Galatasaray but Gareth Bale’s substitution five minutes from time was greeted with a smattering of whistles from the Santiago Bernabeu faithful.
The Brazilian full-back’s goal was the highlight of a somewhat flat 90 minutes that brought to a close Madrid’s exhausting pre-season that took them to Australia, China and Norway but supporters were not entirely happy with the display and some took it out on Bale as he left the pitch on 85 minutes.
Playing as a No 10 just behind Jese in attack he had played his part in the victory and had been neither the stand-out performer nor the most anonymous but he was still singled out by some in the Bernabeu when his number came up. Other fans applauded drowning out the jeers but it is clear as he looks to start his third season that he is yet to win over Real’s notoriously fickle following.
Real Madrid defender Marcelo (left) proved their match-winner on Tuesday night against Galatasaray
Marcelo's late goal came after he beat three defenders to give Real a 2-1 win in their final pre-season friendly
Real captain Sergio Ramos (left) and Marcelo hold up the the Santiago Bernabeu Trophy after the match
Nacho celebrates after his 17th minute strike put Madrid 1-0 ahead at the Bernabeu
Madrid midfielder Isco deftly controls possession as Rafa Benitez's side guarded an early lead
Los Blancos forward Gareth Bale beats Galatasaray's Lionel Carole to a header
Bale breezes past Galatasaray playmaker Selcuk Inan during his solid, but unspectacular shift
Real Madrid opened the scoring after 17 minutes when Nacho headed in a Luka Modric corner. Isco could have doubled the lead but his effort came back off the crossbar.
Real Madrid were dominant without being their usual ruthless selves in front of goal and that was never more evident a minute before the break when Ronaldo missed a chance he would usually have buried. Jese did well to wriggle down the right and pull the ball back for the Portuguese but he took one touch and then got under the ball lifting his shot high over the bar.
Bale had come closer creating an opportunity for himself moments earlier and shooting just over from the edge of the area.
Galatasary had threatened an equaliser through Umut Bulut but he missed after being teed up by Wesley Sneijder.
And in the second half it was to be the former Real Madrid and Inter Milan midfielder who got the Turkish side level with a shot from distance that Keylor Navas could do nothing about. When Sneijder was taken off shortly after his goal the Bernabeu rose as one to applaud a player who Real Madrid supporters never wanted sold and who won the Champions League under Jose Mourinho the season after he was let go.
Real took the lead on 17 minutes when defender Nacho (centre) headed them in front against Galatasaray
The defender wheeled away in jubilation after putting the Spanish giants ahead at the Santiago Bernabeu
Former Real midfielder Wesley Sneijder (centre) equalised for Galatasaray after half-time during the friendly
The Holland international (left) was given a standing ovation by the home supporters when he was substituted
Ronaldo then thought he had put Los Blancos ahead but was correctly flagged offside as he ran on to Isco’s pass. James Rodriguez came on with 20 minutes left and looked to have been bundled over in the six-yard box when trying to turn in a Ronaldo cross but nothing was given.
Just as it appeared the game would fizzle out into a flat 1-1 draw Marcelo produced as good a goal as Madrid have managed all pre-season. Cutting in from the left he went past three defenders before burying a low left-footed shot into Fernando Muslera’s bottom right corner.
That meant Madrid won the Santiago Bernabeu Trophy. But as the indifferent response to his substitution showed, Bale is yet to win over the Bernabeu.
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