Karim Benzema
Karim Benzema scored twice as Real Madrid survived without Cristiano Ronaldo to win 3-1 at Racing Santander and close the gap on La Liga leaders Barcelona to seven points on Sunday.
Ronaldo, who has netted 27 goals this season, missed his first league game of the campaign with a muscle strain, but Benzema and Emmanuel Adebayor led Jose Mourinho's side on to 67 points with 11 games left.
The La Liga leaders beat Real Zaragoza 1-0 at home on Saturday.
Real made a flying start at the Sardinero, hitting the crossbar twice before Adebayor scored in the 23rd minute following the type of move more usually associated with their arch-rivals Barca.
The outstanding Mesut Ozil was at the centre of a series of one-touch passes which sliced Racing open and he finished by squaring for Adebayor to sidefoot into the empty net.
Three minutes later, the German midfielder set up Benzema to score the second.
Racing, who had not lost under new coach Marcelino, spurned a chance to hit back when Pablo Pinillos's weak penalty was saved after the break, but Kennedy Bakircioglu threatened a comeback when he scored from a fine move in the 70th.
Benzema curled in his second soon after following a counter-attack and Adebayor also missed a late penalty.
Jose Mourinho:
"We have played well in some previous road matches. We came out strong tonight and we had some early chances. The opponent felt like it had very few possibilities because we played a fantastic match and were always ahead. I liked the fact that we stayed calm."
"Having two forwards allows us to have alternatives. We have players who are adapted to play both ways, and tonight we responded very well. Karim and Adebayor provided good solutions."
"We used this same system against Malaga. Di Maria played inside and Cristiano joined Higuain. I decided to use this system, but I could have used the other as well. We wanted to have a more compact midfield. I didn't think we needed to use two defending midfielders. But once Cristiano returns, the natural move is to have the team use its system."
"I do not expect Barcelona to slip up. I focus on my league, I play my games and I try to earn as many points as I can. We win if we play well and are better than our opponents. If the match is more level and decided by small details, we don't. I don't expect them to slip up, but I do hope we win at home."
"Pedro Leon stayed on the bench. I think playing for four minutes was of great value for Alex, just like it would have been for Casado. But for Pedro it woulnd't have been significant. I wanted to make Alex happy. He had a marvelous night."
"Granero is a player that has to be taken into account. He is intelligent, he learns and he is very useful to the team."
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