Albacete 1 - Real Madrid 2

Albacete: Valbuena; Santi, Buades, Mingo, Peña; Redondo, Alvaro Rubio (Jaime 73'), Viaud, Momo (Mark González 64'); Pacheco, Rubén Castro (Mikel 78'). 4-4-2.
Madrid: Casillas; Michel Salgado, Iván Helguera, Samuel, Roberto Carlos; Figo (Borja 80'), Gravesen, Guti, Solari (Celades 60'); Owen, Ronaldo. 4-4-2.

Team changes: Albacete: Pacheco for Mark González / Madrid: Gravesen, Solari, Owen for Beckham, Zidane, Raúl.

Goals:
1-0. 08. Redondo. Rounded Gravesen and fired shot under Casilas.
1-1. 14. Iván Helguera. Header into top corner of net from Figo's corner.
1-2. 45. Owen. Ran on to Guti through ball and shot low past Valbuena.

Real Madrid closed the gap on Barcelona to nine points just a week before the two sides clash in the Bernabeu stadium after beating struggling Albacete 1-2. With Raúl and Beckham injured and Zidane suspended, Luxemburgo drafted in Michael Owen and Solari, and his side came close to taking the lead when Ronaldo got the ball in to the net only to be ruled out, incorrectly, for offside, and then when the striker tested Valbuena with a long shot. But Casillas had to tip a long shot from Alvaro around the post, and soon afterwards Redondo put them ahead when he picked up a loose ball inside the area, rounded Gravesen and fired a shot through the legs of both Iván Helguera and Casillas.

Helguera made up for it a few minutes later though when he equalised from Figo's corner, a Peña unable to stop his header from entering the net. Pacheco shot wide and referee Undiano Mallenco waved away penalty claims by Rubén Castro and Momo, and at the other end Valbuena did well to stop a vicious Roberto Carlos free kick which breached the defensive wall. But with the first half coming to a close Guti came away from his own half with the ball and slipped a pass through to Owen for him to beat the keeper with a low shot.

Redondo could have equalised soon after the restart when his shot was blocked by Casillas, and Ronaldo's bad luck continued when he headed against the post when put through. Roberto Carlos fired another free kick just wide of the post and Valbuena saved well from Ronaldo, and the keeper somehow managed to keep out a long effort from Roberto Carlos which caught him off the line. Albacete kept up the fight to the last minute, substitute Mikel testing Casillas again with a late header. But it was not to be, and they remain seven points adrift down in the relegation spots. Madrid came away with the three points which should help to restore their confidence for next week's big match, although Samuel and Guti will miss that game (as will Barça's Deco) after picking up yellow cards this weekend.