Real Madrid 3-0 Alaves
Real Madrid climbed to within eight points of the top of La Liga with a fine win against Alaves, running out comfortable winners after a stern test.
Top scorer Karim Benzema put Los Blancos ahead, and after an evenly fought second half Junior made it two with ten minutes remaining and Mariano added a third in injury time.
The big news from yesterday’s La Liga 2019 results was that Barca dropped two points at home to Valencia which meant Los Blancos could close the gap to eight points. And Atletico Madrid’s first defeat in 19 league games, away to Real Betis, meant this was the perfect weekend for Real. The La Liga 2019 betting odds are still heavily against a Los Blancos title but it’s not over quite yet.
Highlights of the game
Dani Ceballos was the first Los Blanco to have a pot shot at the Alaves goal, taking a pass from a corner and firing a fierce shot from just outside the box which whistled past the top left corner. And Ceballos was in the action again, minutes later, feeding top scorer Karim Benzema but his shot was narrowly wide.
But it was Benzema who fired the hosts ahead on the half hour, finishing coolly having taken a pass from Sergio Reguilon. It had been a subdued first half but Los Blancos went in with the expected lead.
Alaves arrived at the Bernabeu on the back of two defeats and were determined to put up a fight, Ruben Duarte trying his luck a minute after half time but his shot went narrowly wide. Despite their lofty position the visitors have been struggling for goals in La Liga, with just 22 at the start if this game, and that was always going to be the biggest challenge for Aberlado’s men.
Gareth Bale almost doubled the lead after taking a pass from Luka Modric but his shot was saved in the bottom right corner, and then Alaves went on the attack again. Top scorer Jonathan Calleri teed up Manu Garcia but his shot was blocked and then Calleri himself went close but his effort went past the right post.
As both sides continued to seek the next crucial goal Bale came close with a free kick which was inches too high, and then Alaves’ Calleri met a Carlos Vigaray cross but headed wide. Jony had a shot saved and then at the other end Real Madrid centre back Sergio Ramos headed a Luka Modric corner wide. Marco Asensio was back in the team for Los Blancos and he had a shot on goal after a fast break but we entered the last ten minutes with just one goal dividing the two teams.
And then it finally came as Los Blancos settled the game with a second to relax the
53,000 fans at the Bernabeu Stadium. Asensio was involved again, this time feeding Vinicius Junior and his shot was well aimed into the bottom corner. Guillermo Maripan came close to halving the deficit with a header from a Jony corner, but it was game over in the first minute of injury time when Mariano planted a header into the top right corner.
Key Statistics
Alaves put up a good fight and were well in the game until the last ten minutes but they are now on a run of three consecutive defeats and need to get back to winning form to keep their Europa League hopes alive.
Meanwhile Real Madrid has now won four on the bounce and top scorer Benzema has hit ten goals in 22 league fixtures as leading scorer for Los Blancos.
What’s next?
There’s a real treat for SBOBET La Liga fans on the way this week when Los Blancos head to the Camp Nou to meet Barca in the Cop del Rey semi-final. And then it’s the Madrid derby away to Atletico at the weekend in the battle for second spot and, crucially, the local bragging rights. That game is all the more spicy after Atleti’s shock defeat today.
And after that it’s back to the Champions League with a tough test away to Ajax.
Three cracking games which could go a long way to shaping Real’s season.
As for Deportivo Alaves, well it’s a little quieter but they have a chance to get back to winning ways with a home league game against mid table Levante, the visitors have just one win in the last six.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
