Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice to earn champions Real Madrid a creditable 2-1 win away to Eibar in La Liga on Saturday. Ronaldo's double let Los Blancos cut the gap to second place to four points, with Atletico Madrid in action on Sunday.
Real have put the pressure on Los Rojiblancos, but retaining the title is still a forlorn hope after leaders Barcelona beat bottom-of-the-table Malaga 2-0 at La Rosaleda Stadium, with Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho on the scoresheet.
The Blaugrana won without talisman Lionel Messi, after the club announced the Argentinian was out of the squad for "personal reasons," per Goal's Chris Burton. Messi subsequently announced the birth of his third child, according to Burton.
Barca are now 11 points clear at the top.
Elsewhere, Valencia strengthened their bid to play UEFA Champions League football next season by winning 2-0 away to nearest rivals Sevilla.
There was also good news for Levante, who eased their relegation woes somewhat by winning in Getafe by the single goal. The result has sent Levante four points clear of the drop zone.
Here are the final scores from all of Saturday's fixtures:
- Eibar 1-2 Real Madrid
- Sevilla 0-2 Valencia
- Getafe 0-1 Levante
- Malaga 0-2 Barcelona
Here's what those result mean for the updated table:
1. Barcelona: 72
2. Atletico Madrid: 61
3. Real Madrid: 57
4. Valencia: 56
5. Sevilla: 45
6. Girona: 43
7. Villarreal: 41
8. Eibar: 39
9. Celta Vigo: 38
10. Real Betis: 37
11. Getafe: 36
12. Real Sociedad: 33
13. Leganes: 33
14. Athletic Bilbao: 32
15. Espanyol: 32
16. Alaves: 31
17. Levante: 24
18. Las Palmas: 20
19. Deportivo La Coruna: 19
20. Malaga: 13
Full standings are available, per BBC Sport.
Ronaldo took his goals brilliantly to see off a capable Eibar team. His first came 11 minutes before the break when Luka Modric split the hosts' defence.
Real's free-scoring No. 7 was also on hand to head in the winner with just six minutes left. The decisive late contribution left Eibar with nothing to show for their efforts, despite Ivan Ramis drawing his side level five minutes into the second half.
By contrast, Ronaldo reaffirmed his place as one of the most prolific attackers on the continent, per Squawka Football:
Suarez was on target after just 15 minutes when he connected with a deft cross from left-back Jordi Alba. The defender was later fouled by Samuel Garcia, a challenge reckless enough to earn the latter a red card.
Barca's lead was doubled when Ousmane Dembele, whose pace caused Malaga problems, teed up Coutinho to score via a backheel.
There was no more scoring, as a Barcelona side as dominant in defensive areas as the attacking third saw out the match with the minimum of fuss.
Valencia also impressed away from home, as they left the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium with a 2-0 win over Sevilla. Striker Rodrigo scored twice for the visitors, who received an exceptional performance from midfield enforcer Geoffrey Kondogbia.
Usually known more for his tough tackling, the Frenchman showcased his eye for a pass to record a career-first, per OptaJose:
Kondogbia's contributions led to a huge win for Los Che, who have opened up an 11-point lead over Sevilla in fourth place. It means Valencia have taken a huge step toward qualifying for the Champions League on the watch of shrewd manager Marcelino.
Taking a stride toward safety was Levante's reward for a critical win in Getafe. The away side bagged the winner through right-back Coke with 11 minutes left.
Levante held on, despite Koke Vegas being sent off in the 83rd minute. In the process, the visitors matched a rare feat achieved only by Real this season, per La Liga:
The title remains headed for the Camp Nou, with Barca proving they can win without Messi. It's left to Atletico to try to keep the race alive by beating Celta Vigo on Sunday.
from Bleacher Report - Front Page http://ift.tt/2FDPSKl
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