Real Madrid on Sunday took charge of the title race after turning to a little-used defender to grind out a 1-0 win at Real Valladolid.
Valladolid’s defense scrambled to clear a constant barrage of crosses into their penalty area by the visitors until Toni Kroos finally connected with goalscorer Nacho Fernandez in the 78th minute.
Zinedine Zidane’s side moved three points ahead of Barcelona a day after the defending champions lost 2-0 at Valencia.
Photo: AFP
“We knew it would be another tough game,” Zidane said. “They had only lost once at home. They are a very competitive team and these are three important points.”
Besides taking advantage of Barcelona’s defeat, Real Madrid also saw Atletico Madrid stumble yet again and slip further behind.
Atletico were held to a 0-0 draw at home by relegation-threatened CD Leganes, extending their winless streak to four matches across all competitions.
Getafe moved past Atletico and into fourth place — the final UEFA Champions League spot — after edging Real Betis Balompie 1-0 at home with a late penalty.
Nacho was handed his fourth league start of the season only because usual rightback Dani Carvajal was suspended, but he proved the difference in a tight encounter.
Real Madrid, who have not won the title since 2016-2017, lead the standings on 46 points after 21 games. Barca are second on 43, while Sevilla are third with 38.
Nacho raced straight over to the visiting dugout to embrace Zidane after scoring his first league goal in more than two years as Madrid finally broke the deadlock.
Zidane revealed after the game that his instructions to Nacho had played a part in the goal.
“Just before he scored, I told him to attack the near post. He’s a defender who doesn’t score many goals, so I’m delighted for him,” the French coach said. “It was vital that we won, but being top of the table doesn’t change anything for us, we just have to keep doing what we’re doing well.”
Midfielder Casemiro thought he had given Zidane’s side an early lead when he headed home a free-kick from Kroos, but the goal was ruled out for offside after a video assistant referee review.
Valladolid’s Sergi Guardiola netted late in the game, but that was also ruled offside and Madrid clung on to earn a vital victory.
“Nacho sums up the unity of this team, and that any player can come in and make a difference, regardless of how many minutes they have played this season. The whole squad is so happy for him,” Madrid captain Sergio Ramos said. “It’s never easy to play away from home, and we knew that Valladolid would play their usual system, and defend very well and close us down, and we had to work very hard to open them up.”
In Madrid, Getafe substitute Angel Rodriguez got the winner against Betis from the penalty spot in the 89th minute after Alex Moreno had handled the ball in the area.
Getafe, a modest club from the capital, came close to earning a Champions League berth last season, finishing fifth.
“We are competing against teams with ambitious objectives and to have the points we do is fantastic,” Getafe coach Jose Bordalas said.
Atletico’s frustrating draw with Leganes added to the run of poor results by Diego Simeone’s team.
Atletico never seriously threatened their crosstown rivals at the Wanda Metropolitano in a match they needed to win to reclaim third place.
For many Atletico supporters, it was the worst the team had played since Simeone transformed them into title winners on his arrival in 2013.
“When the results are not coming, it is normal that our fans get angry and that makes us take responsibility for the situation. We have to take action,” Simeone said. “I can’t say anything to our fans. We have to show them with our deeds and not with our words. Words are carried away by the wind.”
Leganes ended the match with 10 men after goalkeeper Ivan Cuellar was sent off with about a minute to play in stoppage-time when he received a second yellow card that the referee said was due to his attempt to “simulate aggression by a ball boy.”
Television images showed Cuellar tumbling backward when a ball boy had seemed to push him with one hand on the chest while the goalkeeper was getting the ball.
Elsewhere, sixth-placed Real Sociedad defeated RCD Mallorca 3-0, while RC Celta de Vigo drew 0-0 with Sociedad Deportiva Eibar and remained in the relegation zone.
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