With Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski main the La Liga goalscoring charts, particularly after Saturday’s brace in opposition to Elche, Karim Benzema responded with a seven-minute hat trick granting an enormous win to Real Madrid forward of the final “clasico” of the season.
Benzema scored his three targets in seven minutes as Madrid crushed Valladolid 6-0 within the Spanish league on Sunday, boosting the group’s morale earlier than they face Barcelona within the semifinals of the Copa del Rey.
“We will go to Barcelona with a lot of confidence after today’s game,” Madrid defender David Alaba mentioned. “We know it is going to be a special recreation, will probably be powerful, however we need to go there and attempt to get the victory.”
Madrid will journey to Barcelona needing to reverse on Wednesday a 1-0 first-leg loss from the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti used Benzema and several other different common starters in opposition to Valladolid regardless of Madrid’s upcoming go to to Camp Nou.
Rodrygo, Marco Asensio and Lucas Vazquez additionally scored for second-place Madrid, which now trails chief Barcelona by 12 factors within the league after the Catalan membership gained at last-place Elche on Saturday. Madrid maintained its hole to third-place Atletico Madrid at 5 factors.
Benzema, who hadn’t scored within the league since February, netted his first aim with a close-range header after a cross by Vinicius Junior within the twenty ninth minute. The Frenchman added one other aim with a shot from exterior the world within the thirty second and bought his third with a volley along with his again to the web within the thirty sixth.
“When we now have Benzema taking part in at his finest degree, all the things is less complicated,” Ancelotti mentioned.
Benzema was changed by Eden Hazard to get some relaxation within the sixty fifth, incomes a loud ovation from followers on the Bernabeu.
Rodrygo had opened the scoring for Madrid with a low shot from inside the world within the twenty second after a buildup that began with Eduardo Camavinga, who improvised as a left again due to a suspension to Nacho Fernandez and accidents to Antonio Rudiger and Ferland Mendy.
Asensio scored the fifth aim with a left-footed shot from contained in the field within the 73rd and Vazquez – in his three hundredth match with Madrid – bought the sixth in stoppage time after a go by Hazard.
Alaba, who had been injured within the recreation in opposition to Liverpool within the Champions League, was again within the Madrid squad. Vazquez performed without any consideration again rather than Dani Carvajal following Carvajal’s stint with Spain’s nationwide group. Midfielders Luka Modric and Federico Valverde began on the bench to get some relaxation forward of the Copa semifinals.
Madrid hasn’t gained the Copa since 2014. It misplaced 2-1 to Barcelona at Camp Nou in a league recreation earlier than the worldwide break.
“There is no doubt that we are 100% prepared,” Ancelotti said about the Copa game against Barcelona. “Our solely thought will probably be to get the victory.”
Valladolid stays with no league win in opposition to Madrid since 2008, and with no league victory on the Bernabeu since 2000.
The Sixteenth-place group, owned by former Brazil striker Ronaldo, is one level from the relegation zone. It has gained solely one among its final seven league video games.
Atleti win late
Angel Correa scored within the 86th as Atletico beat Real Betis 1-0 at residence to strengthen their maintain on third place.
The outcome prolonged Atletico’s unbeaten streak to 11 matches. They are six factors forward of fourth-place Real Sociedad and 9 factors in entrance of fifth-place Betis.
Diego Simeone’s Atletico have gained six of their final seven league matches, together with 4 in a row.
Manuel Pellegrini’s Betis nevertheless have just one win of their final six video games in all competitions.
Villarreal in rivalry
Villarreal moved nearer to a Champions League place by defeating Sociedad 2-0 at residence with targets by Dani Parejo and Nicolas Jackson towards the tip of the match.
It was the second straight win for sixth-place Villarreal, which is 4 factors behind Sociedad and one behind Betis.
Struggling Sociedad has just one win in its final eight matches in all competitions.
Celta held
Celta Vigo twice relinquished a lead and noticed an try by striker Iago Aspas hit the woodwork deep into stoppage time in a disappointing 2-2 draw in opposition to relegation-threatened Almeria at residence.
Almeria, sitting in 18th place, has gained as soon as in its final eight league video games.
Tenth-place Celta had gained three of its final 4 matches.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
