Madrid's 8th consecutive win proved even extra valuable after both Atletico Madrid and Barcelona misplaced, with Atletico undone with the aid of Mallorca and Barca succumbing to the astounding Real Betis for his or her first defeat below Xavi Hernandez. Barcelona live seventh, now a hefty 16 points behind Real Madrid, whilst Atletico drop to fourth, six points in front of Barca, but 10 factors off the top. Both groups will now should pick themselves up in advance of crunch Champions League group games in midweek.
Barca need to win away at Bayern Munich to guarantee their place within the ultimate sixteen and might be with out Gavi after the midfielder was taken to medical institution with a head harm. Atletico must beat Porto in Portugal to actually have a chance of going via. Madrid, in the meantime, face Inter Milan on Tuesday, in a decider for first region in Group D, after which Atletico Madrid subsequent weekend, which makes Benzema's injury even extra of a difficulty.
The 33-year-old was forced off inside the first half of on the Reale Arena with what seemed to be a hassle round his left hamstring. Benzema had started 19 of Madrid's 20 video games this season and all the last 5 in 14 days. Yet Madrid marched on without their star striker to sign in some other awesome win over excessive-flying Real Sociedad as Vinicius Junior persevered his super run with the aid of scoring the opener earlier than Luka Jovic, Benzema's substitute, added a 2d.
Vinicius' twelfth goal of the season came in the 47th minute as he weaved in from the left and performed a clever opposite skip into Jovic, who held the ball up and grew to become it lower back to Vinicius, who drove in. Jovic has persevered a torrid time on the grounds that becoming a member of Madrid for 60 million euros in 2019 but he could be given a run now in Benzema's absence. After teeing up Vinicius, he stooped low to go in Casemiro's flick-on from a corner for his first intention of the season.
The final 1/2 an hour was a bit of a non-event as Real Sociedad were not able to problem Thibaut Courtois inside the Madrid purpose in the 2d forty five while Ancelotti's aspect had simply the one hazard which noticed Vinicius denied by way of goalkeeper Remiro after being played in through Eder Militao. The result was in no way inside the doubt within the second half and Real Sociedad stay 5th.
Madrid already look uncatchable for Barcelona however losing to Betis means the Catalans are also dropping contact with the top four.
