Real Madrid cruised into third place in LaLiga after Karim Benzema inspired Santiago Solari's side to victory over Espanyol.
2018/2019 La Liga
2-4
Match Report
Having lost 1-0 in the corresponding fixture last season, Madrid were quick to ensure they did not suffer a similar fate this time around – Benzema ending a three-match scoreless run before Sergio Ramos, who later went off injured, doubled the visitors' tally with his 50th headed goal for Los Blancos.
Leo Baptistao hauled Espanyol back into the contest, but Benzema had the final say of a frantic opening 45 minutes when he slotted in on the stroke of half-time.
Gareth Bale's goal three minutes after his introduction added further gloss, only for Raphael Varane's red card to make things complicated, but though Roberto Rosales' stunning volley set up a thrilling finale, Espanyol could not muster an unlikely comeback.
Player Ratings
Match Events
4'GOAL! Espanyol 0-1 Real Madrid (Benzema)
Modric does brilliantly to gallop towards goal with all the freedom of the pitch, and fires an effort that Diego Lopez has to beat away but for the unmarked Benzema to slot it in the back of the net for his eighth league goal of the season!
15'GOAL! Espanyol 0-2 Real Madrid (Ramos)
Real take advantage of Espanyol’s well-documented troubles with defending set-pieces. Modric whips in a teasing cross for the Los Blancos skipper to leap highest and meet with a looping header past a scrambling Diego Lopez for his third goal in two games!!
25'GOAL! Espanyol 1-2 Real Madrid (Baptistao)
Baptistao makes up for his miss only a minute ago with a powerful strike past Courtois after finding space in the Real box following a shot that was deflected by Vazquez!!
45'GOAL! Espanyol 1-3 Real Madrid (Benzema)
With half-time approaching, Kroos spreads the ball out wide to Benzema, who runs in on goal before attempting to play Vinicius but for the Brazilian wonderkid to get tackled at the vital moment, allowing the Frenchman to slot the loose ball past Diego Lopez to make it 3-1 at the worst possible time for Rubi’s charges!
67'GOAL! Espanyol 1-4 Real Madrid (Bale)
Vazquez does brilliantly to pick the pockets off Baptistao and plays in Benzema who runs into the area before exchanging passes with the winger only for the return ball to come to Bale, who is able to take advantage of the chaos in the box to take one touch before firing past Diego Lopez not long after coming on!
72'Red Card! Varane sent off
The substitute Piatti is brought down from behind just outside of the penalty area by the France defender, who happened to be the last man in defence. Real must soldier on with 10 men as Marcelo is being readied to come on.
81'GOAL! Espanyol 2-4 Real Madrid (Rosales)
Roca floats in a pearler of a pass towards the Real area, where the substitute Rosales finds himself with the freedom of the RCDE Stadium to power a first-time volley past a frozen Courtois!
Line-ups
Espanyol XI: Diego López, S.García, Dídac , J.López, S.Darder, Baptistao, Borja Iglesias, Hermoso, Lluís López, M.Roca, Alejandro López
Subs: Roberto Jiménez, Rosales, Granero, V.Sánchez, Piatti, Víctor Campuzano, Melendo
Real Madrid XI: Sergio Ramos, L. Modrić, Benzema, T. Kroos, T. Courtois, Casemiro, Daniel Carvajal, R. Varane, Lucas Vázquez, Reguilón, Vinícius Júnior
Subs: Bale, Marcelo, Isco, Nacho, Marcos Llorente, Ceballos, Luca Zidane