Real Madrid took a significant step towards reclaiming the La Liga title with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Athletic Club at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday, March 31st, 2024. The win extends their lead at the top of the table to eight points with nine games remaining.
Match Highlights:
The opening half was a cagey affair with both teams struggling to create clear-cut opportunities. Real Madrid dominated possession, but Athletic Club’s resolute defending kept them at bay. The second half saw more attacking intent from Los Blancos, with Karim Benzema coming close on a couple of occasions. The breakthrough finally arrived in the 72nd minute when a surging run from Dani Carvajal found Rodrygo unmarked in the box. The Spaniard made no mistake, slotting the ball past Unai Simon for the all-important goal. Athletic Club pushed for an equalizer in the closing stages, but Real Madrid held firm to secure the three points.
Statistics:
- Possession: Real Madrid – 62%, Athletic Club – 38%
- Shots on Target: Real Madrid – 5, Athletic Club – 2
- Saves: Kepa (Real Madrid) – 2, Unai Simon (Athletic Club) – 4
- Fouls Conceded: Real Madrid – 12, Athletic Club – 15
Player Ratings:
Real Madrid:
- Kepa (7/10): Made a couple of crucial saves to keep Athletic Club at bay.
- Dani Carvajal (8/10): A constant threat down the right flank, his assist for the goal was inch perfect.
- Eder Militão (7.5/10): Solid at the back, dealt well with the physicality of Athletic Club’s attack.
- David Alaba (7/10): Composed and assured in central defence.
- Ferland Mendy (6.5/10): Struggled a bit defensively at times but offered good attacking support.
- Toni Kroos (7/10): Controlled the ball effectively and kept things ticking over.
- Federico Valverde (6.5/10): Worked hard in midfield but lacked his usual creativity. (Subbed off 70th min).
- Rodrygo (8/10): Scored the winning goal and was a constant threat on the counterattack.
- Brahim Díaz (6.5/10): Frustrated by Athletic Club’s defence but had a couple of good chances (Subbed off 80th min).
- Jude Bellingham Goes (6/10): Introduced some pace after coming on as a substitute.
Athletic Club:
- Unai Simon (7.5/10): Made some excellent saves to keep his team in the game.
- Ander Capa (6/10): Struggled against the pace of Vinicius Jr. (Missed the game due to injury).
- Yeray Álvarez (7/10): Solid defensively and made some important blocks.
- Iñigo Martínez (7/10): Another strong performance at the heart of the defence.
- Yuri Berchiche (6.5/10): Got forward well but lacked the final product in the cross.
- Dani García (6.5/10): Worked tirelessly in midfield to break up play.
- Mikel Vesga (6/10): Composed on the ball but struggled to create chances.
- Álex Berenguer (6/10): Showed some good skills but couldn’t find a way past Real Madrid’s defence (Subbed off 60th min).
- Iker Muniain (6/10): Tried to make things happen but was well marshalled by Real Madrid’s midfield.
- Oihan Sancet (6/10): Held the ball up well but lacked support (Subbed off 70th min).
- Inaki Williams (5.5/10): Quiet afternoon for the winger, well contained by Real Madrid’s defence.
What’s Next?
Real Madrid will look to extend their lead at the top of the table when they face Manchester City on the 9th of April at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. Athletic Club, meanwhile, will be aiming to bounce back when they host Mallorca at San Mamés.
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