Vinícius Júnior took over the scoring duties from Karim Benzema by netting twice to help Real Madrid win 2-1 at 10-man Elche on Saturday and move to the top of the Spanish league standings.
Vinícius opened the scoring with a 22nd-minute strike. After Elche midfielder Raúl Guti was sent off for a second booking, the Brazilian winger then put the result beyond doubt in the 73rd.
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Vinícius Júnior took over the scoring duties from Karim Benzema by netting twice to help Real Madrid win 2-1 at 10-man Elche on Saturday and move to the top of the Spanish league standings.
The 21-year-old Vinícius once again showed his much-improved finishing. The double took his tally in all competitions to nine in 14 appearances this season, compared to six goals in 47 outings in 2020-21.
Carlo Ancelotti rested Benzema ahead of Madrid’s Champions League match against Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday.
Elche almost equalized thanks to Lucas Boyé. The striker stole the ball from David Alaba in the box, only for Lucas Pérez to waste a back-heeled pass by Javier Pastore that left him alone with only Thibaut Courtois to beat.
Milla scored against the flow of play when Casemiro's pass near his area was intercepted, leaving the forward alone to beat Courtois.
Elche substitute Pere Milla pulled one back with four to play, but it was not enough to keep his side unbeaten at home this campaign.
Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Elche and Real Madrid at the Martinez Valero stadium in Elche, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021. (AP PhotoJose Breton)
The 21-year-old Vinícius once again showed his much-improved finishing. The double took his tally in all competitions to nine in 14 appearances this season, compared to six goals in 47 outings in 2020-21.
“This is thanks to the work I have been putting in since I arrived,” said Vinícius, who debuted for Madrid aged 18 after the club had secured his transfer from Brazil's Flamengo when he was 16.
Real Sociedad is level on points with Madrid before it hosts Athletic Bilbao in a Basque Country derby on Sunday. After that, Madrid will still have a game in hand.
Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, right, celebrates with team mates after scoring his side's opening goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Elche and Real Madrid at the Martinez Valero stadium in Elche, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021. (AP PhotoJose Breton)
Carlo Ancelotti rested Benzema ahead of Madrid’s Champions League match against Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday.
Madrid’s only victory in its previous four league games came last weekend when it won 2-1 at Barcelona.
Mariano Díaz played his first minutes of the season in Benzema’s place. The rarely-used striker showed his reflexes were still sharp when he used his heel to knock a pass from Casemiro into the path of Vinícius for him to fire under Kiko Casilla.
Real Madrid's David Alaba, centre right, jumps for the ball during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Elche and Real Madrid at the Martinez Valero stadium in Elche, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021. (AP PhotoJose Breton)
Elche almost equalized thanks to Lucas Boyé. The striker stole the ball from David Alaba in the box, only for Lucas Pérez to waste a back-heeled pass by Javier Pastore that left him alone with only Thibaut Courtois to beat.
Elche was pressing for an equalizer when Guti made a dangerous tackle on Toni Kroos and was sent off in the 63rd.
Vinícius finished Elche off when he chipped the ball over Casilla from a tight angle after Luka Modric played him clear with one touch.
Real Madrid's head coach Carlo Ancelotti reacts during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Elche and Real Madrid at the Martinez Valero stadium in Elche, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021. (AP PhotoJose Breton)
Milla scored against the flow of play when Casemiro's pass near his area was intercepted, leaving the forward alone to beat Courtois.
Madrid lost forward Rodrygo in the opening minutes to what appeared to be a leg injury.
Later, Barcelona plays its first match since the firing of Ronald Koeman when caretaker coach Sergi Barjuan leads the team against Alavés at Camp Nou. Sevilla can pull level with Madrid and Sociedad if it beats Osasuna, while Villarreal visits Valencia.
Real Madrid's Mariano Diaz, centre, jumps above Elche's Ivan Marcone during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Elche and Real Madrid at the Martinez Valero stadium in Elche, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021. (AP PhotoJose Breton)
On Sunday, Real Betis can also pull level with Madrid and Sociedad if it beats Atlético Madrid.
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Barcelona defeated Real Sociedad 1-0 on Thursday to make sure Real Madrid will have to wait at least another week to celebrate the Spanish league title.
Barcelona's away victory reduced its gap to Madrid to 15 points, and it can further cut it to 12 points on Sunday if it defeats Rayo Vallecano at home in a game it has in hand.
Barcelona and Madrid, which won 3-1 at Osasuna on Wednesday, will have five games left. Madrid, trying to clinch its second title in three seasons, doesn’t play this weekend.
Barcelona's plaers celebrate after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the opening goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)
“Madrid was lucky that it took a while for us to join the fight,” Barcelona defender Dani Alves said.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored with a close-range header in the 11th minute to give Barcelona its first win after consecutive home losses against Cádiz in the league and Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League. The Catalan club had not lost two straight home games since 2003.
The victory against Sociedad left Barcelona tied on points with Sevilla, which defeated Levante earlier Thursday to stay in position to secure a Champions League place next season. Second place also is important as it guarantees a spot in the Spanish Super Cup.
Barcelona's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang celebrates after scoring the opening goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)
“We suffered a lot but in the end we got three golden points and stayed in second place,” Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández said. “It was an important victory even though we didn’t play too well.”
Defending champion Atlético Madrid, which was held to a 0-0 home draw against relegation-threatened Granada on Wednesday, stayed two points behind Barcelona and Sevilla. Fifth-place Real Betis trailed Atlético by four points and was two ahead of Sociedad.
Sociedad has not beaten Barcelona in 12 straight league matches. The Basque Country club hadn't lost in seven consecutive league games at home, all of them with clean sheets.
Barcelona's Dani Alves, left, fights for the ball with Real Sociedad's Diego Rico during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)
Barcelona extended its unbeaten streak on the road to 13 league matches, having won five in a row.
Barcelona defender Ronald Araújo left injured early in the second half, and the team's other central defender, Gerard Piqué, appeared to get injured in the first half but stayed until being substituted in the 82nd while being loudly jeered by the Sociedad fans.
Piqué, who also heard some boos every time he touched the ball during the game, has been in the spotlight in recent days after stolen audio leaked to the media exposed a series of conversations between him and Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales talking about behind-the-scenes negotiations on several issues.
Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong, left, vies for the ball with Real Sociedad's Igor Zubeldia during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)
SEVILLA RECOVERS
Sevilla improved its chances of making it to the Champions League with a 3-2 win at second-to-last-place Levante.
Jesús “Tecatito” Corona scored two first-half goals and Jules Koundé added another after halftime.
Barcelona's Dani Alves reacts during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)
Levante captain José Luis Morales had to be comforted by teammates and opponents after the match because of a missed penalty kick that could have equalized the game at 2-2 in the second half. Koundé gave Sevilla a 3-1 lead about 10 minutes later before Roberto Soldado pulled the hosts closer again.
Levante stayed tied with last-place Alavés, six points from safety.
CÁDIZ FALLS AGAIN
Barcelona's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, left, tries to score next to Real Sociedad's goalkeeper Alex Remiro during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)
Cádiz followed up its stunning 1-0 win against Barcelona at the Camp Nou Stadium with a 3-2 home loss against Athletic Bilbao.
The result left Cádiz just outside the relegation zone.
Eighth-place Athletic was up 3-0 by the 33rd. It played a man down from the 71st after Mikel Vesga was sent off.
Barcelona's head coach Xavi Hernandez gestures during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)
RELIEF FOR RAYO
Rayo won 1-0 at Espanyol to end a 13-match winless streak in the league and move closer to salvation.
Sergi Guardiola scored in the 42nd to leave the southern Madrid club seven points from the relegation zone in 14th place. Espanyol, sitting in 12th-place, was two points ahead of Rayo.
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