Barcelona – Gareth Bale scored with an unstoppable free kick to help 10-man Real Madrid end a two-game losing run with a 3-0 win over Espanyol and stay top of the Spanish league on Saturday.
James Rodriguez scored first after a pinpoint long pass from Bale was skillfully tapped back to him by Cristiano Ronaldo at the Santiago Bernabeu in the 12th minute.
Bale made it 2-0 in the 28th when Espanyol goalkeeper Kiko Casilla could only watch as he rifled a left-foot free kick in off the post.
Madrid played with 10 men from the 53rd after Fabio Coentrao got a direct red card for a low tackle on Jose Canas. The difference, however, was unnoticeable and substitute Nacho Fernandez netted in the 76th with Espanyol in disarray.
Bale had a great chance to score before Fernandez’s goal when he sprinted onto Francisco “Isco” Alarcon’s thoughball. But the winger drew both the reproach of some sectors of the stands and Ronaldo’s ire when he didn’t pass to his strike partner, instead rolling the ball wide.
“Bale played a very good game,” Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti said. “The public asked him to pass to Cristiano, but all forwards want to score. Bale is just as fundamental for us as Cristiano. They get along well and only want to take Madrid as high as we can go.
“Altruism is an important component of the group. If we see selfish behaviour, we will deal with it.”
Madrid’s comfortable victory came after its Spanish record 22-win streak ended with losses at Valencia in the league and Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey.
Madrid built a four-point lead over Barcelona and Atletico, before the defending champion visits Camp Nou on Sunday. Madrid will still have a game in hand after the clash between its main title rivals.
Madrid hosts Atletico on Thursday needing to overturn a 2-0 first-leg defeat to keep alive its defense of the Copa del Rey title.
“It will be a tough game, but playing at home will help,” Ancelotti said about the derby.
Elsewhere, Valencia drew 1-1 at Celta Vigo, while Villarreal drew 1-1 at Malaga.
Eibar also continued to impress in its first season in the topflight with a 2-1 win over Getafe at home as it consolidated its hold on eighth place.
Valencia remained in fourth place and the last Champions League spot, although Sevilla can move ahead with a win at Almeria on Sunday.
Valencia went ahead after goalie Diego Alves saved Fabian Orellana’s spot kick in the 28th. It was the Brazilian ‘keeper’s 14th save of 33 penalties he has faced in the Spanish league.
Rodrigo Moreno dribbled inward from the right flank before firing a long strike under goalie Sergio Alvarez two minutes before halftime to give Valencia the lead.
Orellana made amends by scoring in the 61st to give ninth-place Celta its first goal in eight league games, breaking a drought that dated to November 30.
Villarreal’s draw extended its undefeated streak to 13 straight games in all competitions.
Malaga forward Nordin Amrabat chipped goalie Sergio Asenjo on the break in the 60th to cancel out Jonathan Dos Santos’ goal from a tight angle in first-half injury time.
Villarreal remained in sixth place, one point ahead of Malaga in seventh.
Eibar’s Manuel del Moral scored from a well executed set piece in the 33rd before Ander Capa secured the points in the 51st. Substitute Diego Castro pulled one back for Getafe 10 from time.
A moment of silence was held before the matches for the 12 people killed at the Charlie Hebdo newspaper office in Paris. – Sapa-AP