Fede Valverde's Golazo downs Athletic Club to keep Real Madrid in La Liga title hunt
Fede Valverde's Golazo downs Athletic Club to keep Real Madrid in La Liga title hunt
Real Madrid have kept themselves in the La Liga title battle after a sensational late 1-0 win over Athletic Club in the Spanish capital.
Just days after being knocked out of the UEFA Champions League, Carlo Ancelotti was in need of a big response from his squad, and they found a way to win beyond the 90 minute mark.
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Ancelotti's future remains under huge scrutiny following their European exit, but the club are expected to delay a decision on his position until at least next month, to focus on the title race and the Copa del Ry final up against Barcelona on April 26.
The nerves were clear from the off for the home side amid a tense atmosphere inside the packed out Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.
In a first half that yielded no real chances at either end of the pitch the main focus of attention was high up in the stands.
The Los Blancos faithful booed Kylian Mbappe seated in the VIP area, with the France captain missing due to a combination of suspension and injury, as his impact in big games comes back under scrutiny.
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Real Madrid stepped up through the gears immediately after the restart as Eduardo Camavinga forced a strong save from Spain's No.1 Unai Simon.
With the visitors looking to dig in – minus the attacking threat of injured star Nico Williams – Los Blancos poured forward late on.
A brilliant Vinicius Junior cross handed Jude Bellingham a perfect opportunity but he too was brilliantly thwarted by Simon.
Ancelotti threw on Endrick Felipe to try and force a goal late on, and he inadvertently prevented a superb goal for Vinicius after being caught offside by VAR in the build up.
However, there was to be one final wild plot twist as the away side failed to clear their lines inside the box and Fede Valverde clattered home superbly from a tight angle.
A win on the night brings Real Madrid back up to four points behind leaders Barcelona with just six league games left to play.
Images via Getty Images
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