Real Madrid held by Elche at home on tough day for Benzema

Real Madrid needed a stoppage-time goal by Éder Militão to salvage a 2-2 home draw against Elche and keep its advantage over Sevilla at the top of the Spanish league on Sunday.

Madrid struggled in what was a disappointing afternoon for its top player this season, Karim Benzema, who missed a penalty kick in the first half and had to be replaced in the second because of an injury.

The draw kept Madrid four points ahead of second-place Sevilla, which also had to rally from two goals down to escape defeat against Celta Vigo and earn a 2-2 draw at home on Saturday.

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior reacts during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Elche at the Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 23, 2022. (AP PhotoManu Fernandez)

Madrid has won once in its last three league games, while Sevilla drew two in a row. Third-place Real Betis moved closer by winning at Espanyol on Saturday. Manuel Pellegrini's team is 10 points from the lead after 22 matches.

Benzema's struggles began when he missed an opportunity from close range with only the goalkeeper to beat inside the area in the first half. Moments later Benzema, Madrid's top scorer this season, had his chance to give his team the lead from the penalty spot, but the France striker sent his shot way over the crossbar.

To cap an unusually frustrating day, Benzema had to leave the match in the 58th because of an apparent muscle injury. He grabbed the back of his left leg as he headed for the locker rooms.

Real Madrid's Eder Militao celebrates scoring his side's second goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Elche at the Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 23, 2022. (AP PhotoManu Fernandez)

Lucas Boyé and Pere Milla scored a goal in each half to give Elche a 2-0 lead, but Madrid pulled closer with Luka Modric’s penalty kick in the 82nd and evened the match with Militão's firm header off a cross by Vinícius Júnior.

“It’s tough to take,” Milla said. “We had Madrid against the ropes but couldn’t take advantage of it.”

Vinícius, who also missed a few good chances, picked up a yellow card that will see him suspended from the next match.

Real Madrid's Eder Militao, third left, heads the ball to score the equalising goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Elche at the Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 23, 2022. (AP PhotoManu Fernandez)

Madrid had beaten Elche 2-1 in extra time on Thursday to advance to the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey. Coach Carlo Ancelotti had not used Benzema, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and defender Militão in that match. Eden Hazard, who scored the winner in extra time Thursday, returned to the starting lineup Sunday after not having earned many minutes because of a series of injuries.

Elche moved five points from the relegation zone with the draw at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. It had won two straight games in the league.

Hazard thought he had earned a penalty kick early in the second half but the call was overturned after video review.

Real Madrid's Luka Modric shoots a penalty kick during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Elche at the Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 23, 2022. (AP PhotoManu Fernandez)

OTHER RESULTS

Midtable Osasuna won 2-0 at Granada to end its 10-match winless streak in the league.

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Elche players celebrate scoring their side's second goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Elche at the Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 23, 2022. (AP PhotoManu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Karim Benzema, right, leaves the pitch after being substituted by Real Madrid's Luka Jovic, left, during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Elche at the Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 23, 2022. (AP PhotoManu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Eden Hazard, left, reacts as Elche players celebrate scoring their side's first goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Elche at the Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 23, 2022. (AP PhotoManu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior reacts during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Elche at the Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 23, 2022. (AP PhotoManu Fernandez)

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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