Karim Benzema returned to the field to settle a double with penalties and give encouragement to the leader Real Madrid, who beat Celta de Vigo 2-1 on Saturday in the return to action of the Spanish League.
Benzema converted two of three penalties that were awarded in favor of the meringues. He sent the first to the net at 19 minutes, after a foul by Manuel Agudo “Nolito” on Eder Militao, and the third at 69, in an action in which Ferland Mendy went to the pitch.
“Nolito” momentarily equalized at 52, in an action in which he received an accurate pass in the heart of the area from Javier Galán.
Argentine goalkeeper Matías Dituro saved his fourth penalty of the year by holding down Benzema’s second penalty in the 64th after a foul was called on Rodrygo Goes.
The merengue team returned to activity after suffering a scandalous 4-0 defeat in the Clásico against Barcelona. They ratify the leadership by having 69 units, 12 above the escort Sevilla (57), which on Sunday is measured against Barca, which is third with 54 and with a duel pending.
“I don’t know if we deserved to win,” goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said. “In the first part I made two saves. The penalties are fair, there is nothing more to add”.
Benzema returned to the field after suffering an injury that ruled him out of the Clásico and with his double he reached 24 goals to consolidate himself as the scoring leader, in what is already his most productive season as a merengue with 34 goals in all competitions.
Despite the victory, Madrid did not show a great level and his figure was again Courtois, who saved the merengue framework on several occasions. The last minutes he spent him locked in his field avoiding the equalizer.
The Belgian goalkeeper made a superb save from a free kick by Iago Aspas in the 22nd minute, just four minutes after deflecting another shot from Denis Suárez.
A goal by Thiago Gallardo at the end of the first half was invalidated by Aspas’ advanced position.
time the merengue team will have to prepare the first leg to visit Chelsea on Wednesday in the quarterfinals of the European Champions League.
Madrid did not have the strategist Carlo Ancelotti on the bench due to a positive for COVID-19; The Italian strategist must give negative tests for the coronavirus to be on the bench in the middle of the week against Chelsea.
SEVEN WINS IN A ROW FOR ATLÉTICO
With doubles from Joao Félix and Luis Suárez, Atlético de Madrid thrashed Alavés 4-1, to string together its seventh victory of the season.
The Portuguese opened the scoring with a superb header from the heart of the area in the 11th minute; he made the third by finishing inside the area with an open frame at 82.
The “Gunman” regained the lead from the penalty spot in the 75th minute, after a foul was called on Matheus Cunha. The Uruguayan sealed the victory after receiving a superb pass from Cunha, who sent it into the net with a low cross shot in the 90th minute.
“We are working well and the team is doing very well and the individuals stand out at the end,” said Félix.
Gonzalo Escalante paired momentarily with a header at 63.
The defending league monarchs were placed provisionally in 3rd position with 57 units with this victory. Alavés is bottom having 22 units.
Félix reached eight goals in the course, of which six he has scored during this streak of seven wins.
Suárez ended a four game unscored streak to reach 11 goals in the tournament and 13 in the season. He only had two goals in the last 16 league games.
Atlético de Madrid’s spirits are at their peak to face the first leg of the quarterfinals of the European Champions League on Tuesday when they visit Manchester City.
AGUIRRE PRESENTS WITH DEFEAT
Mexican strategist Javier Aguirre began his adventure at the helm of Mallorca with a defeat, which fell 1-0 on his visit to Getafe.
Aguirre returned to Spanish football to take charge of his sixth team — Osasuna, Atlético de Madrid, Zaragoza, Espanyol and Levante — after replacing Luis García Plaza with the mission of saving the Balearic team.
Borja Mayoral scored the winning goal at 82′; the azulón team climbed to 14th position with 32 units.
Mallorca stagnated in the relegation zone in 18th position with 26 units.
In another result, with a brace from José Luis Morales, Levante beat Villarreal 2-0.
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