Real Madrid twice came from behind to secure a vital three points in a 3-2 win over Real Valladolid on Saturday.
Goals from Manucho twice handed the home side the lead in the opening period, but Karim Benzema and Mesut Ozil made it 2-2 at the interval.
Both sides had chances in the second period, but it was Ozil who added his second after 72 minutes to secure the vital three points.
Here, Sports Mole dissects the 90 minutes of action between the two sides.
Match statistics:
Real Valladolid
Shots 9
On target 4
Possession 46%
Corners 6
Fouls 17
Real Madrid
Shots 17
On target 13
Possession 54%
Corners 9
Fouls 14
Was the result fair?
Looking at the match as a whole, it would be difficult to argue that Madrid did not deserve to pick up all three points. Valladolid twice scored against the run of play in the opening period and Jose Mourinho's side always looked capable of getting back into the match. Bold substitutions, which led to Madrid ending with just two defenders on the pitch, made a huge difference.
Real Valladolid's performance
7/10. The fact that Valladolid were playing second-tier football last season shows how far they have come. Make no mistake about it, they gave Madrid a real scare this evening and but for a wonderful Ozil free kick, they would have gained a point. It is difficult to criticise their performance on an evening where they gave everything.
Real Madrid's performance
7/10. Without exaggeration, Madrid were 20 minutes away from being out of the title race. That's not to say they are now back in it, but defeat this evening could have left them 14 points behind Barcelona come the end of play tomorrow. They were as impressive as ever going forward, but their defence continues to look shaky and needs to be addressed.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Manucho: Ozil obviously deserves a mention, but Manucho shades the accolade for his first-half display. Manchester United fans will be wondering why he has let go based on this performance. Aside from his two goals, his aerial presence in both boxes made him such a force in the match. It reminded me of the way Didier Drogba used to bully defenders.
Biggest gaffe of the match
Real Madrid's defending for Valladolid's opening goal was horrendous. The ball bobbled in the area and Manucho had time to set himself before firing into the back of the net. That said, their marking for his second was hardly magnificent either.
Referee performance
Pedro Perez had a successful 90 minutes of action this evening. He was not prepared to buckle under pressure to book opposing players and kept the peace on more than one occasion.
What next?
Real Valladolid: Valladolid will attempt to return to winning ways when they face Deportivo La Coruna in the league next Monday. They then host Barcelona in their final match before the winter break.
Real Madrid: Madrid have a two-legged Copa del Rey affair against Celta Vigo to contend with either side of a home league match against Espanyol next Sunday. They go on to travel to Malaga in their final match before the winter break.
Matt Law
