Still intractable at home, Real Madrid won without forcing Sunday in the clash of the 30th day of La Liga against Athletic Bilbao (2-0) thanks to a double from the Brazilian Rodrygo and maintains a comfortable lead at the top of the championship .
In the absence of his friend Vinicius Junior, suspended, the Seleção striker opened the scoring in the 8th minute of play with a clear shot into the top corner to perfectly launch his team, before scoring a double on a counter smoothly led by Jude Bellingham (73rd, 2-0).
With this 23rd victory of the season, Real (1st, 75 points) is eight steps ahead of its rival FC Barcelona (2nd, 67 points) and ten ahead of Girona (3rd, 65 points), both victorious this weekend. -end.
Athletic Bilbao remains fourth, but could be overtaken on Monday if Atlético Madrid succeeds at Villarreal and now has six days to best prepare for its Copa del Rey final against Mallorca on Saturday.
Real Madrid’s English midfielder Jude Bellingham duels with Athletic Bilbao’s Spanish midfielder Mikel Vesga during Real’s victory at the Santiago-Bernabéu stadium in Madrid on March 31, 2024 / Pierre-Philippe MARCOU / AFP
In management nine days before their Champions League quarter-final first leg against defending champion Manchester City, Real delivered a champion performance, only really trembling once on a volley from Iñaki Williams diverted by Lunin (52nd).
Affected during the French team’s rally, Eduardo Camavinga played the end of the match and should therefore be able to hold his place during this major European poster.
Brazilian defender Eder Militao, sidelined for seven months due to a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee which occurred during the first leg at San Mamés, made his return to the Bernabéu pitch to the applause of Madrid supporters.
Merengue coach Carlo Ancelotti estimated after the match that his team had “a slight advantage” before challenging the English champion, with nine days of rest compared to only three for the Citizens. But not enough to “determine the outcome of the match”.
Girona in the snatch
Girona players celebrate the winning goal of Uruguayan Cristhian Stuani against Real Betis at the Montilivi stadium in Girona, March 31, 2024 / PAU BARRENA / AFP
Earlier in the afternoon, Girona snatched a victory after added time against Betis Sevilla (3-2) to stay in contact with the leading duo.
It was veteran Cristhian Stuani, 37, who scored the winning goal in the 92nd minute, at the end of a crazy match where the Catalans led twice.
Betis thought they had done the hardest part by equalizing at 2-2 in the 76th minute, Brazilian striker Willian José responding to Artem Dovbyk’s double (36th, 65th), silent for more than two months.
Back at the top of the championship scorers’ rankings with his 15th and 16th goals of the season, the Ukrainian colossus remains in the race for “Pichichi” alongside Real Madrid’s English prodigy Jude Bellingham and Osasuna’s Croatian scorer Ante Budimir .
Left behind in the title race, Girona remains third, two points behind its neighbor FC Barcelona (2nd) and ten behind Real, but is getting closer to the first qualification in its history for the Champions League.
Real Sociedad (6th, 49 points) then took the opportunity to increase their lead over Betis in the race for Europe by signing a third success in a row on the lawn of Alavés (1-0).