Real Madrid beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0 on Sunday, with Karim Benzema scoring all three to continue his hot streak in front of goal.
2018/2019 La Liga
3-0
Match Report
A hat-trick from Karim Benzema saw Real Madrid beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0 in LaLiga on Sunday to bounce back from a disappointing draw at Leganes last time out.
Zinedine Zidane's men were left seven points behind bitter rivals Atletico Madrid in second after their win over Eibar on Saturday, but Los Blancos just about did enough thanks to Benzema at the Santiago Bernabeu in a match that will not live long in the memory.
Madrid were especially poor and lacking in ideas against an Athletic side up for a scuffle during a woeful first half that did little to capture the imagination.
But the breakthrough did arrive early in the second half courtesy of the in-form Benzema, and he added two well-taken finishes late on to wrap up a fairly straightforward win over Champions League-chasing Athletic.
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Match Events
13' CHANCE! Marcelo's shot over the bar
Kroos loops a pass to Marcelo who feeds Asensio. The winger's low cross is touched back by Benzema to Marcelo who blazes the ball over the bar.
47' GOAL! Real Madrid 1-0 Athletic Club (Benzema)
Straight from Varane's clearance, Asensio races forward and plants ball straight onto the head of Benzema whose header is too powerful for Herrerin to keep out.
48' CLOSE! Kroos' shot wide out
Madrid almost make it two! Modric lays off Asensio's cross to Kroos in the box, whose shot is blocked.
59' NICE SHOT! Benzema's shot wide out
Asensio teases Lekue before passing inside to Kroos, who cleverly picks out Vazquez to the right of the box. He passes back to Benzema who fizzes a shot just wide of the post.
76' GOAL! Real Madrid 2-0 Athletic Club (Benzema)
A fantastic ball over the top forces Berchiche to concede a corner for Madrid. From Modric's corner Herrerin misjudges the catch, leaving Benzema to head into an empty net at the far post.
90' GOAL! Real Madrid 3-0 Athletic Club (Benzema)
Athletic keeper rushes out of his area far too soon to stop Bale running through on goal. He intercepts the ball but Bale reclaims it and lays it off to Benzema who delicately curls a shot into the open net.