Ramos free-kick sends Madrid back to top of La Liga
25 June, 2020
Sergio Ramos' sensational free-kick helped True Madrid move backside above Barcelona to the most notable of La Liga because they defeated Real Mallorca 2-0 on Wednesday.
Ramos brushed apart Gareth Bale to have the shot and justified his say with a curling strike into the top corner after 19-year-classic Vinicius Junior had set Madrid in the front in the first half.
Madrid's success at the Alfredo di Stefano Stadium means they are level again on factors with Barcelona but sit above their name rivals in the desk due to an excellent head-to-head record.
"There happen to be seven finals kept," said Ramos. "There will be only 1 league in the year of coronavirus and you want to gain it for the enthusiasts."
Bale has been hardly used since La Liga resumed on June 11 but Zinedine Zidane continued his rotation coverage and handed the Welshman his first start since February 16.
Yet an underwhelming display is unlikely to force Bale back into Zidane's desired eleven as Vinicius increased his circumstance with another lively, if erratic, performance.
The Brazilian also hit the crossbar in the first half.
Ramos, though, stole the express along with his brilliant free-kick, acquiring his personal tally to a career-best 8 goals for the season, after he became La Liga's highest ever scoring defender on Sunday by scoring a good penalty against Real Sociedad.
The simply worry for Madrid was that Eden Hazard was taken off soon after the hour, raising doubts over if the Belgian is totally fit or completely confident in his troublesome ankle.
There is also time towards the end for history to be produced as Mallorca's Luka Romero became the youngest player ever before to play in La Liga, aged 15 years and 219 days.
Mallorca, who remain 18th in the desk, always looked like one of Madrid's more straight-forwards assignments through the run-in, whether or not they claimed a gorgeous victory over them found in October to place Zidane under serious pressure.
But his team have already been transformed since that time and after Barcelona made effort of beating Athletic Bilbao on Tuesday night, this is another win to suggest the momentum is now with Madrid.
Bale tested Manolo Reina with an early on shot from distance soon after Karim Benzema was first denied by Mallorca's goalkeeper after getting permitted to control at the trunk post.
Hazard freed Vinicius, who took too much time over his shot, but if that was the worst type of of Vinicius' finishing, the very best was to come soon after.
Dani Carvajal barged above Dani Rodriguez, fairly on the eye of the referee, and Fede Valverde swept a long ball ahead to Luka Modric, who waited before playing a good cute reverse ball to Vinicius.
Bale stepped aside, allowing the youngster to lift up a superb finish above Reina and in to the net.
Mallorca rallied with Takefusa Kubo, on mortgage loan from Madrid, particularly lively and Thibaut Courtois having to tip wide a bending work from Iddrisu Baba.
But Madrid never really looked more likely to concede and Vinicius must have had a second when played through by Benzema but scooped a go onto the bar.
A second eventually arrived just before the hour just as Hazard won a free-kick 25 yards out, slightly eventually left of centre. Ramos claimed the shot and made it count, whipping a curling effort over the wall and in to the top left-hand corner.
Hazard was taken off after 62 minutes, replaced by Toni Kroos, as Zidane started looking forward to tougher testing to come. In the 83rd minute, Romero was given a debut to keep in mind.
Earlier, True Sociedad suffered a third consecutive defeat in the home to Celta Vigo to keep their obstacle for Champions League qualification found in tatters.
La Real took just a level from their four game titles since La Liga restarted on June 11 and today sit seventh, six details adrift of Sevilla in fourth.
Iago Aspas' penalty on the stroke of half-time was more than enough to seal a 1-0 victory for Celta Vigo, who approach eight points free from Mallorca in 18th. Osasuna defeated Alaves 1-0 to climb to 11th. Alaves drop to 13th.
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