Winner of the Spanish Super Cup after sweeping Atlético de Madrid in overtime (5-3) then slapping FC Barcelona in the final (4-1) in Saudi Arabia, Real Madrid had work to do on their return to Santiago- Bernabéu. Seeing Girona alone at the top of La Liga with a match in advance, Casa Blanca had to take the three points in front of their home crowd. However, for the 21st day, she faced Almería, bottom of the championship but who had managed to keep the Catalan leader in check last week, but were still looking for their first success.
In this clash of extremes, logic was not respected at the start of the meeting. Very aggressive on the ball carrier from the start, the Andalusian team recovered the ball from the feet of Ferland Mendy before finding Largie Ramazani, who closed his foot to surprise Kepa Arrizabalaga and quickly unlock the score (1-0, 1st ). Faced with a low Rojiblanco block but capable of attacking in transition, neither Rodrygo (16th) nor Kroos (30th, 37th) nor Chumi in front of his own goal (34th) shook the nets of Portuguese goalkeeper Luis Maximiano.
The VAR well requested
Before the break, on a favorable counterattack, Edgar Gonzalez even sent a superb volley into the Madrid top corner to make the break (2-0, 43rd). Ramazani was even close to widening the gap in added time, but he was defeated by Tchouaméni (45+3rd). Upon returning from the locker room, the video assistance to the refereeing became the protagonist of the second act: first with a whistled hand from Kaiky offering a penalty to Jude Bellingham (1-2, 57th), for his 14th goal of the season in La Liga, before denying the Andalusians the third goal after the hour mark.
Live ranking
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Team
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Pts
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J
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DIF
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G
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NOT
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D
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BP
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B.C.
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1 |
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51 |
20 |
30 |
16 |
3 |
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43 |
13 |
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20 |
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6 |
21 |
-25 |
0 |
6 |
15 |
21 |
46 |
Indeed, due to a foul by Dion Lopy on Bellingham at the start of the action, the referee canceled the goal of former Madrilenian Sergio Arribas (61st). It didn’t take much for Real to come back into this match and equalize through Vinicius Jr… from the shoulder (2-2, 67th)! The video also erased a goal by Bellingham, after an offside by Fran Garcia at the start of the action (77th). Scorer, the Englishman turned into a header for Dani Carvajal, who snatched the victory by pushing the ball to the far post (3-2, 90+9th). Real, heroic, won at home after 13 minutes of added time and regained the throne of leader. Almería remains last in the ranking.
