Real Madrid bounced back from their midweek defeat to Girona by beating Almeria 4-2 at home in LaLiga on Saturday. Karim Benzema led the charge for the Spanish giants, scoring a first-half hat trick to rewrite the record books.
- Real Madrid Maintains Slim Title Hopes
- Ancelotti Praises Team’s Offense, Remains Confident in Defense
- Benzema Breaks Mexican Legend Hugo Sanchez’s Record
- Madrid Extends Lead Despite Missed Chances
- Kroos Gifts Almeria a Goal, Rodrygo Happy with Another Assist and Goal
Real Madrid Maintains Slim Title Hopes
With only six games remaining in the season, Real Madrid remains in second place and holds on to their slim title hopes by moving up to 68 points, cutting Barcelona’s lead to eight points. Barcelona, on the other hand, hosted Real Betis later that day.
Ancelotti Praises Team’s Offense, Remains Confident in Defense
Real Madrid coach, Carlo Ancelotti, praised the team’s offense, particularly the quality of Karim, Vini, and Rodrygo. Ancelotti remains confident in the team’s defensive abilities despite conceding more goals. He acknowledges that the team has done well in their past games and knows that the attacking aspect is good.
Benzema Breaks Mexican Legend Hugo Sanchez’s Record
Karim Benzema opened the scoring in the fifth minute with a close range shot from a Vinicius cross, then extended Madrid’s lead 12 minutes later after an incredible individual play by Rodrygo, who went past a rival with a backheel dribble before crossing to the French striker. The 35-year-old’s second goal took him past Mexican legend Hugo Sanchez’s 234 goals for fourth all-time on LaLiga’s top-scorers list. Benzema then netted his third from the penalty spot in the 42nd minute after Lucas Vazquez was fouled inside the box.
Madrid Extends Lead Despite Missed Chances
Madrid wasted several chances to extend their lead further, with Rodrygo and Vinicius missing sitters from close-range, and Benzema and Asensio hitting the post twice each. The referee initially awarded Real Madrid a penalty for a foul on Benzema inside the box but reversed his decision after checking the VAR replay for an infringement in the build-up. Lázaro tried to put Almeria back in the game by scoring from point-blank range three minutes later, but Madrid extended their lead right following the break after Rodrygo rifled a shot from the edge of the box into the top left corner.
Kroos Gifts Almeria a Goal, Rodrygo Happy with Another Assist and Goal
Madrid had the game under control until Toni Kroos gifted the ball to Almeria inside his own box, allowing Lucas Robertone to score a header and narrow the deficit. Despite this, Rodrygo was happy with another assist and goal. He stated, “We always want to win. With the defeat in the last game, we wanted it even more. I’m happy with another assist and another goal.”
Conclusion
In conclusion, Karim Benzema led Real Madrid to a much-needed victory, scoring a first-half hat trick to keep their slim title hopes alive. Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti remains confident in the team’s defensive abilities despite conceding more goals. Madrid also wasted several chances to extend their lead further but still managed to win the game 4-2.
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