Castilla's New Boss Held to Draw as 'Di Stéfano Effect' Stalls
Julián López de Lerma's debut as Castilla manager ends in a 1-1 stalemate against Mérida, ending the reserve team's winning streak at home.
A point apiece at the Alfredo Di Stéfano as Real Madrid Castilla’s winning home run comes to a halt under new gaffer Julián López de Lerma.
New boss, same struggles
With Álvaro Arbeloa getting the call-up to the first team dugout, López de Lerma stepped into the Castilla hot seat for the first time – but his debut didn’t exactly go according to plan. The youngsters got off to a nightmare start when sloppy play from the back gifted Mérida’s Álvaro a golden opportunity just 14 minutes in, and he wasn’t about to look that gift horse in the mouth.
Castilla needed a response and gradually found their feet, with Diego Aguado causing problems down the left flank. Their persistence paid dividends before the break when Thiago Pitarch linked up with Aguado, whose cross found Dani Yáñez for the equaliser – the first goal of the López de Lerma era.
Second-half stalemate
The hosts came out after the interval looking more assertive and thought they should have had a penalty when captain Manuel Ángel went down in the box. The referee wasn’t having any of it, though, and waved play on despite the protests.
López de Lerma rang the changes in search of a winner, introducing Leiva, Mesonero, Fortuny and Álvaro Ginés to inject some fresh legs and creativity. The gaffer was clearly desperate not to see Castilla’s impressive home form at the Di Stéfano come to an end.
Both sides had chances to nick all three points in the closing stages:
- Mérida’s Beneit saw a header whistle just past the post with eight minutes remaining
- Leiva nearly caught the Mérida keeper out with a cross that almost crept in
In the end, neither side could find that crucial second goal, and the points were shared in what was ultimately a fair result.
What it means
The draw represents a minor setback for Castilla as they adjust to life under their new manager. After Arbeloa’s promotion, the young Madridistas couldn’t quite maintain their winning ways at home, but there were enough positive signs to suggest López de Lerma has something to build on.
Mérida, meanwhile, will be pleased with their afternoon’s work, having frustrated their hosts and come away with a valuable point from the capital.