First Division - Day 37

Real Madrid 3 - Valencia 2

Madrid: Kiko Casilla; Danilo, Varane, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo; Kroos, Casemiro, James; Lucas Vázquez (Jesé 76’), Benzema (Kovacic 65’), Ronaldo (Arbeloa 79’). 4-3-3.
Valencia: Diego Alves; Barragán, Mustafi, Abdennour (Santi Mina 46’), Siqueira; Dani Parejo, Javi Fuego, Enzo Pérez (Piatti 86’); Cancelo (André Gomes 46’), Paco Alcácer, Rodrigo. 4-3-3.

Goals:
1-0. 26. Ronaldo. Picked up Marcelo pass and cut across to turn shot past Alves.
2-0. 42. Benzema. Squeezed shot inside near post after Kroos played ball to him.
2-1. 55. Rodrigo. Drove shot back in to net after Varane cleared Gomes cross.
3-1. 59. Ronaldo. Collected James through ball and ran on to shoot over keeper.
3-2. 81. André Gomes. Curled angled shot past Casilla following short corner.

Yellow cards: Enzo Pérez 12’, Siqueira 38’, André Gomes 42’, Casemiro 51’, Javi Fuego 68’ / red cards: Rodrigo 83’.

Real Madrid move up to second spot, still a point behind leaders Barcelona, after they beat Valencia 3-2 on Sunday evening. The midweek Champions League game against Manchester City had clearly taken its toll, with Keylor Navas, Dani Carvajal and Bale all out, and Ronaldo and Benzema in the line up, although still not fully fit. Even so Zidane’s side went two up at the break, Ronaldo picking up a pass from Marcelo to open the scoring, and Benzema adding a second close to half time, albeit that referee Fernández Borbolán failed to spot that he was offside in the build up. Benzema brought a good save out of Diego Alves after the restart, but Dani Parejo hit the bar with a free kick, and soon afterwards Rodrigo pulled one back following a poor clearance by Varane from an André Gomes cross. Ronaldo restored the two goal cushion after James put him through four minutes later, but Kiko Casilla had to be at his best to keep out Parejo, Rodrigo and Alcácer, and with nine minutes to go André Gomes scored his side’s second with an angled shot following a short corner. Any hope the Ches had of saving a point ended though when Rodrigo was sent off for insulting a linesman, and Madrid held on after that to make sure they stay in the title race coming in to the last weekend of the season.