MADRID: Real Madrid extended their lead over Barcelona at the top of La Liga to six points on Saturday with a 5-1 rout of Granada in the minnows’ first trip to the Santiago Bernabeu in 36 years.
The pressure is now on champions Barcelona, who still boast the psychological advantage of having beaten Real last month, when they meet Espanyol on Sunday.
Real coach Jose Mourinho promised there would be no repeat of the sloppy first half performance in the King’s Cup against Malaga in midweek where they had to come from behind to win 3-2.
But it was still a laboured first 45 minutes with the team fortunate to go in 2-1 up at the break. Cristiano Ronaldo and Mesut Ozil combined to set up Karim Benzema to slot in the home side’s first goal, but Granada replied from their first real attack with an unmarked Mikel Rico heading into the corner after 22 minutes.
With the Real defence dozing again, Granada could have gone ahead after they cut through the backline but Rico saw his shot saved well by Iker Casillas. Sergio Ramos then headed Real back into the lead from a corner after 34 minutes.
The game turned in the first few minutes after the break when Gonzalo Higuain and Benzema finished off Granada’s hopes of a comeback and then, with a minute to go, Ronaldo hit the fifth.
Although Barcelona humbled Real Madrid 3-1 at the Bernabeu in the first El Clasico in the league last month, coach Pep Guardiola still feels that the league leaders are the strongest side. “We will just go out and look to play football against Espanyol. The enjoyable aspect of sport is that we have to prove ourselves in the championship against a side which is better than us (Real Madrid),” he said. (Agencies)