First Division - Day 24

Real Madrid 4 - Athletic Bilbao 2

Madrid: Keylor Navas; Dani Carvajal, Varane, Sergio Ramos, Danilo (Nacho 68‘); Modric, Kroos, Kovacic (Isco 72‘); James (Lucas Vázquez 80’), Benzema, Ronaldo. 4-3-3.
Athletic: Iraizoz; De Marcos, Etxeita, Laporte, Balenziaga; Iturraspe (Elustondo 61‘), Beñat; Lekue (Muniain 68’), Eraso, Sabin (Viguera 79’); Aduríz. 4-2-3-1.

Goals:
1-0. 03. Ronaldo. Picked up Benzema pass and cut past Etxeita to score.
1-1. 10. Eraso. Ran ball in after Navas pushed on bad Varane back pass.
2-1. 37. James. Cut across area and fired angled shot wide of Iraizoz.
3-1. 45. Kroos. Collected Ronaldo pass and fired shot inside near post.
4-1. 86. Ronaldo. Controlled Vázquez cross and struck shot across keeper.
4-2. 90. Elustondo. Steered header wide of Navas from De Marcos centre.

Yellow cards: Etxeita 14’, Varane 16’, 82’, Balenziaga 42’, Modric 71’ / red cards: Varane 82’.

Real Madrid threw down the gauntlet to the leaders on Saturday, a 4-2 victory over Athletic Bilbao in the first match of the afternoon taking them above Atlético and to within a point of Barcelona pending their Sunday games. Ronaldo opened the scoring with a shot past Iraizoz early on, but seven minutes later Eraso equalized after Keylor Navas could only push a poor Varane back pass into his path, and Aduríz brought a good save out of Navas before turning a shot against the crossbar with the keeper beaten. With half time approaching though James put Madrid back in front with a shot from the edge of the area, and just before the break Kroos made it three with a shot on the turn after Ronaldo put him through. With eight minutes to go Varane was sent off for a second bookable offence, but Ronaldo got his second of the day soon afterwards, and Elustondo completed the scoring with a header from a De Marcos cross near the end.