Real Madrid 2-0 Alaves: Real two wins from title after Benzema & Asensio goals
Real Madrid are two wins away from clinching La Liga title after victory over strugglers Alaves.
Karim Benzema’s penalty put the league leaders in front after Ximo Navarro’s foul on Ferland Mendy.
Benzema then teed up Marco Asensio for the second, awarded after VAR overruled an incorrect offside decision.
Second-placed Barcelona trail by four points and, if they lose at Real Vallodolid on Saturday, Real can clinch the title by beating Granada on Monday.
Regardless, two wins – or one win and two draws – from their remaining three games will bring the championship to Zinedine Zidane’s side.
Alaves, three points above the relegation zone, were overseen by new manager Juan Lopez Muniz for the first time after a five-game losing run had led to Asier Garitano’s departure.
But the Basque underdogs almost took a shock lead in the opening minutes when former Stoke and Newcastle striker Joselu’s header crashed off the bar and Lucas Perez’s follow-up was cleared off the line by Raphael Varane.
Real survived that scare and led through Benzema’s penalty – the Frenchman’s 18th league goal of the season – although Alaves remained lively, with on-loan West Brom winger Oliver Burke their main threat, forcing a save from Thibaut Courtois.
Asensio eventually added the second, after VAR confirmed Benzema was onside in the build-up, and while Joselu brought a smart save from Courtois, former West Ham goalkeeper Roberto had to be alert at the other end to keep out efforts from Rodrygo and Benzema.
If Real can finish the job, it will be only their second title in eight years, with their most recent coming in 2016-17, during Zidane’s last spell as manager.
Line-ups
Real Madrid
Substitutes
Alavés
Substitutes
Match Stats
Live Text
Match ends, Real Madrid 2, Alavés 0.
Full Time
Second Half ends, Real Madrid 2, Alavés 0.
Isco (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by José Luis Rodríguez (Alavés).
Brahim Díaz (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Adrián Marín (Alavés).
Ferland Mendy (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Borja Sainz (Alavés).
Offside, Real Madrid. Isco tries a through ball, but Vinícius Júnior is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, Real Madrid. Brahim Díaz replaces Casemiro.
Offside, Real Madrid. Isco tries a through ball, but Toni Kroos is caught offside.
Attempt blocked. Isco (Real Madrid) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Vinícius Júnior.
Attempt saved. José Luis Rodríguez (Alavés) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Adrián Marín.
Isco (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Borja Sainz (Alavés).
Eden Hazard (Real Madrid) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Luis Rioja (Alavés).
Attempt saved. Isco (Real Madrid) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Ferland Mendy.
Booking
Mahmoud Abdallahi (Alavés) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Mahmoud Abdallahi (Alavés).
Substitution
Substitution, Real Madrid. Isco replaces Rodrygo.
Substitution
Substitution, Real Madrid. Eden Hazard replaces Karim Benzema.
Foul by Lucas Vázquez (Real Madrid).
Luis Rioja (Alavés) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Casemiro (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by José Luis Rodríguez (Alavés).
Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Víctor Camarasa.
Attempt saved. Rodrygo (Real Madrid) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Vinícius Júnior.
Corner, Alavés. Conceded by Raphael Varane.
Attempt blocked. Borja Sainz (Alavés) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Víctor Camarasa.
Casemiro (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Oliver Burke (Alavés).
Substitution
Substitution, Real Madrid. Vinícius Júnior replaces Marco Asensio.
Substitution
Substitution, Real Madrid. Federico Valverde replaces Luka Modric.
Ferland Mendy (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Borja Sainz (Alavés).
Substitution
Substitution, Alavés. José Luis Rodríguez replaces Joselu.
Substitution
Substitution, Alavés. Borja Sainz replaces Edgar Méndez.
Attempt saved. Luka Modric (Real Madrid) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Lucas Vázquez.
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