Karim Benzema scored twice as Real Madrid moved back to the top of La Liga with a 4-1 victory over Huesca.
Eden Hazard and Benzema netted just before the interval and Federico Valverde made it 3-0 before David Ferreiro’s reply with little more than 15 minutes to go. Benzema added his second late on as Zinedine Zidane’s side went two points clear of Real Sociedad, who face Celta Vigo on Sunday.
After coming off the bench in Tuesday’s 2-2 Champions League draw at Borussia Mönchengladbach, Hazard was handed his first start of the season among four changes made by Zidane.
Hazard fired the hosts ahead with a stunning strike from around 30 yards out in the 40th minute – only his second goal for the club and first in more than a year. Five minutes later, Benzema doubled the advantage, chesting down Lucas Vázquez’s cross and thumping the ball home.
Victory looked all but secure when Valverde collected the ball from Benzema and struck past Fernandez in the 54th minute, adding to his goal in last weekend’s 3-1 clásico win at Barcelona.
Ferreiro reduced the deficit with a close-range finish in the 74th minute, before Benzema headed home Madrid’s fourth in the 90th. His double came a day on from Zidane stressing there was “no problem” between the French striker and teammate Vinicius Junior – who came on for Hazard on the hour – after video footage emerged appearing to show Benzema telling Ferland Mendy not to pass to the Brazil international at half-time in Tuesday’s game.
In the Bundesliga Bayern Munich won 2-1 at Cologne, with goals from Thomas Müller and Serge Gnabry returning the champions to the top of the table as Hansi Flick rested his top scorer Robert Lewandowski. Bayern, who are in action against Salzburg in the Champions League on Tuesday and also face Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga next week, are on 15 points, ahead of Dortmund on goal difference.
Dortmund beat Arminia Bielefeld 2-0 after two second-half goals from the defender Mats Hummels. It was the first time since 2010 the 31-year-old centre-back had scored twice in a league game.
RB Leipzig, on 13 points, can retake top spot when they travel to Borussia Mönchengladbach later on Saturday.
from Football | The Guardian https://ift.tt/3mzYWBu
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