Karim Benzema scored three goals in as many minutes, giving Real Madrid a decisive victory before the season’s last “clasico.”
While Madrid defeated Valladolid 6-0 in the Spanish league on Sunday, Benzema scored three goals in a period of seven minutes, bolstering the team’s spirits before it takes on Barcelona in the Cup del Rey quarterfinals.
The Madrid defender David Alaba remarked, “After today’s game, we will travel to Barcelona with a lot of confidence. “We understand that this game will be different and challenging, but we still want to go there and attempt to win.”
Madrid will head to Barcelona needing to win after losing the first leg 1-0 at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium on Wednesday.
Despite Madrid’s impending trip to Camp Nou, manager Carlo Ancelotti started Benzema and a number of other regular players against Valladolid.
For second-placed Madrid, which currently trails league-leading Barcelona by 12 points after the Catalan club triumphed at last-place Elche on Saturday, Rodrygo, Marco Asensio, and Lucas Vázquez all scored. Madrid’s lead over Atletico Madrid in third place remained at five points.
In the 29th minute, Benzema, who hadn’t scored in the league since February, scored his first goal with a close-range header from a cross from Vincius Jnior. In the 32nd minute, the Frenchman scored again with a shot from beyond the box, and in the 36th minute, he scored again with a volley while facing away from the goal.
Everything is simpler when Benzema is performing at his peak, according to Ancelotti.
In the 65th minute, Benzema was substituted by Eden Hazard to take a break. The Bernabéu crowd gave Hazard a standing ovation.
As a result of Nacho Fernández’s suspension, Antonio Rüdiger’s injury, and injuries to Ferland Mendy and Ferland Mendy, Eduardo Camavinga improvised as a left defender and set up Rodrygo’s low shot from inside the area that gave Madrid the lead in the 22nd minute.
In the 73rd minute, Asensio scored the fifth goal with a left-footed effort from within the box. In the final seconds of regulation, Vázquez, playing in his 300th game for Real Madrid, scored the sixth goal following a ball from Hazard.
Alaba, who had been hurt during the Champions League match against Liverpool, was now back with the Madrid team. Dani Carvajal was replaced on the pitch by Vázquez as the right back after Carvajal’s time with Spain’s national squad. To gain some relaxation before the Copa semifinals, midfielders Federico Valverde and Luka Modric began the game on the sidelines.
Since 2014, Madrid has not won the Copa. Prior to the break, it suffered a league defeat to Barcelona at Camp Nou, 2-1.
Before the Cup match versus Barcelona, Ancelotti said, “There is no question that we are 100% prepared. “Winning will be our one and only thought.”
Since 2008, Valladolid hasn’t defeated Madrid in league play, and it hasn’t triumphed there since 2000.
One point separates the 16th-place team—owned by former Brazil star Ronaldo—from the bottom-half of the standings. In its past seven league games, it has just one victory.
LATE WINS FOR ATLETICO
Atletico defeated Real Betis 1-0 at home in the 86th minute to maintain their third-place standing.
Atletico’s winning run now stands at 11 games as a consequence of the outcome. It has a nine-point advantage over fifth-place Betis and a six-point advantage over fourth-place Real Sociedad.
Atletico Madrid, under by Diego Simeone, has triumphed in six of its previous seven league games, including four straight.
The past six games played by Manuel Pellegrini’s Betis have resulted in only one victory overall.
ILLUSTRATED IN CONTENTION
Villarreal defeated Sociedad 2-0 at home thanks to late goals from Nicolas Jackson and Dani Parejo, moving closer to a Champions League spot.
Villarreal, which is now in sixth position and is one point and four points behind Betis, achieved its second consecutive victory.
Just one of struggling Sociedad’s past eight games in all competitions had been in victories.
HELD CELTA
In a dismal 2-2 draw at home against relegation-threatened Almeria, Celta Vigo twice gave up a lead and had a shot by striker Iago Aspas hit the wall in stoppage time.
Almeria, which is now in 18th position, has only won one of its last eight league games.
Celta, in tenth position, had won three of its previous four games.