LaLiga: Real Madrid close in on title with win at Osasuna

IMAGE: Actual Madrid’s Karim Benzema and Federico Valverde have fun with teammates after the match. {Photograph}: Vincent West/Reuters

Actual Madrid continued their march in the direction of a thirty fifth LaLiga title as objectives by David Alaba, Marco Asensio and Lucas Vazquez earned them a 3-1 win at Osasuna on Wednesday with Karim Benzema lacking two penalties.

The victory means Actual have 78 factors and maintain a 17-point lead on the prime over closest rivals Atletico Madrid, who had been held to a goalless draw by Granada earlier on Wednesday.

Barcelona in third and fourth-placed Sevilla are some extent additional again and each play on Thursday.

Actual want simply 4 extra factors from their final 5 video games to make certain of the title however may clinch it with out taking part in if Barca, who’ve two video games in hand, don’t win on Thursday at Actual Sociedad and on Sunday in opposition to Rayo Vallecano.

Actual coach Carlo Ancelotti determined to relaxation a number of of his standard starters like Casemiro, Luka Modric and Vinicius Jr as they put together to face Manchester Metropolis within the first leg of their Champions League semi-final subsequent Tuesday.

Alaba opened the scoring within the twelfth minute, ending with a close-range strike following a free kick however Osasuna equalised two minutes later as Ante Budimir scored after a counter-attack.

Actual regained the lead when Asensio was in the fitting place on the proper time to strike dwelling a rebound from a Dani Ceballos shot contained in the six-yard field simply earlier than the break.

The guests, nevertheless, suffered an damage scare when celebrating Asensio’s objective as Alaba requested for medical consideration for what regarded like a muscle damage.

The Austrian defender was instantly substituted, however solely as a precaution, in keeping with Ancelotti.

“We’re optimistic, it doesn’t appear critical. It appears to be an overload within the adductor and we determined it was higher to take him out from the sport,” Ancelotti instructed Movistar Plus.

Benzema wasted two nice alternatives to increase Actual’s lead, lacking two penalties in lower than 5 minutes within the second half, with each saved by goalkeeper Sergio Herrera.

LaLiga’s prime scorer this season with 25 objectives went the identical manner with each penalties and Herrera made precisely the identical save at full stretch to the underside proper nook.

It was not till the final transfer of the sport when Actual sealed the take care of Vazquez ending a counter assault led by substitute Vinicius Jr.

“No worries, I’m satisfied that Benzema will rating within the subsequent recreation,” Ancelotti mentioned.

“It was superb match by us, particularly the second half. Now now we have every week to arrange for Man Metropolis. I am are very glad.”