Madrid (AFP)
Thanks to a brace from the returning Karim Benzema, Real Madrid snatched the 2-1 victory against the promoted Elche on Saturday for the 27th day of La Liga, and returns to Barça to return to five points behind Atlético Madrid, who move in Getafe on Saturday evening (9:00 p.m., 8:00 p.m. GMT).
Three days before their knockout round of the Champions League against Atalanta Bergamo (1-0 success in the first leg), Zinédine Zidane's men were scared: they conceded the first goal with a header from a corner Dani Calvo (61st), then managed to snatch success thanks to a double from Karim Benzema, from the head (73rd) then a superb recovery in half-volley from the left at the very end of the match (90th + 1) .
Injured to the adductors in February and absent for three matches, the French center forward has already surprised last weekend during the Madrid derby, responding to Luis Suarez to snatch the equalizer (1-1) for his comeback. and struck again on Saturday with a saving double at the end of the match.
An intelligent head, first, then a gem: a recovery from the left in half-volley in stoppage time, to deceive Elche's goalkeeper Edgar Badia and glean the three points.
"It's a great goal, worth three points, so I'm happier than ever," Benzema responded to Movistar's microphone at the final whistle.
With this double of "KB9", the hope of keeping the Spanish crown is still present for the "Merengues", eleven matches from the end of the championship.
- Ramos and Hazard back -
And above all, there are many reasons for believing that the end of the season will be in apotheosis for "Zizou".
In addition to Benzema, who returned the previous weekend, the Marseille coach found his captain Sergio Ramos, who treated his left knee injury and who played the first 62 minutes of the match on Saturday, and even Eden Hazard, who had not played since the end of January victim of a muscle tear in the left thigh, and who played the last quarter of an hour.
And after two draws against Real Sociedad and Atlético in La Liga, his men suffered but ended up finding the key, thanks to the club's top scorer (18 goals and 5 assists in all competitions this season).
With his 183rd and 184th La Liga goals, Benzema has also equaled David Villa to be among the 12 leading scorers in the history of the Spanish league.
"The first half was a bit weird, we didn't have a lot of movement, we defended behind, but in the second half, with our desire, we pushed back the opponent and we scored two goals to win ", summarized the ex-Lyonnais.
Nothing is lost for the Madrilenians, who will still be able to take advantage of the arrival of Atalanta Bergamo on Tuesday evening (9:00 p.m., 8:00 p.m. GMT) to try to erase these last doubts and finally launch their end of the season.
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