Gareth Bale scored twice as Real Madrid recorded a 2-0 win over Levante in La Liga on Sunday evening.
Both of the Welshman's goals came in the first period as Los Blancos ran out comfortable winners at the Bernabeu.
The result has moved Real Madrid to within one point of the league leaders Barcelona. Levante, meanwhile, remain just inside the relegation zone in 18th position.
Here, Sports Mole dissects the 90 minutes of action in Madrid.
Match statistics
REAL MADRID
Shots: 22
On target: 6
Possession: 67%
Corners: 10
Fouls: 9
LEVANTE
Shots: 8
On target: 0
Possession: 33%
Corners: 4
Fouls: 14
Was the result fair?
In truth, this was an extremely straightforward 90 minutes for Real Madrid, who never needed to get out of second gear. One look at the scoreline will suggest that Levante were in the match, but that was never the case, with the visitors failing to register a single attempt on target. Real Madrid were far from their best, but did the damage in the first period courtesy of a double from under-fire Welshman Bale. The home side had chances to extend their lead in the second period, but poor finishing coupled with some smart goalkeeping from Diego Marino kept the score at a respectable 2-0 for Levante.
Statistics rarely paint a false picture in football and the fact that Real Madrid dominated all of the major areas in the Spanish capital is an indication of what occurred at the Bernabeu. At this stage of the season, it is results and not performances that matter the most. For Real Madrid, they are now just one point behind the leaders Barcelona ahead of El Clasico next weekend, while Levante remain in the bottom three. Overall, it was a professional performance and routine night for the hosts here.
Real Madrid's performance
Real Madrid entered the match under severe pressure having gone three games without a win in all competitions, but they made a really bright start to proceedings, taking control in the early moments and never relinquishing it. Bale was the player perhaps under the microscope more than any other and the Welshman ended his eight-game scoring drought in the league with a double.
The headlines, however, will surely focus on Cristiano Ronaldo's reaction to the first goal. Ronaldo himself had just been denied before Bale opened the scoring and the Portuguese did not seem too pleased that it was his fellow attacker that broke the deadlock. Ronaldo also thought that he had scored the second, but as it turned out, Bale made contact with his effort and the second also went to the former Tottenham Hotspur man, who put on a much-improved performance, although the home supporters are still to be convinced.
Ronaldo, on the other hand, was the picture of frustration on another disappointing night. Karim Benzema almost scored a stunning back-heel volley in the second period, but otherwise had a largely frustrating night in the capital. There were a lot of positives, however, with Sergio Ramos and Luka Modric both making their returns ahead of El Clasico. Ramos formed a solid defensive partnership with Pepe, while Modric radiated class in the middle of the park. In truth, this was the ideal match for Real Madrid against a team that offered very little in the final third. Their performances will need to improve in the weeks ahead if they are to continue challenging on two fronts, but a return to winning ways will do them absolutely no harm at all.
Levante's performance
To be blunt, Levante offered very little going forward at the Bernabeu. They failed to register a single attempt on target and caused Real Madrid few problems in the final third. That said, Lucas Alcaraz can be pretty pleased with his side's defensive performance. The home team had 22 attempts, but just six of those were on target and much of that was due to Levante's pressure in defensive areas and a number of last-ditch challenges. In truth, it was always going to be the type of match where Levante needed to score first in order to stand a chance and when that did not occur, they faced an uphill struggle.
At 1-0, they were always in the game regardless of Real Madrid's domination of the ball, but when Bale scored his second five minutes before the interval, it was effectively game, set and match. Kalu Uche started as the lone forward, but the Nigerian lacked support in the final third, with David Barral simply unable to impact proceedings. For the most part, they were nice and tidy in midfield and solid at the back, but their struggles down the other end were there for all to see. Whether Levante remain in the league this season is not going to depend on their results at places such at the Bernabeu, but the fact that they did not take a hiding can be used as a stepping stone. They certainly have the players to move away from trouble.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Gareth Bale: The Welshman has faced a lot of criticism in recent weeks, but he stood up to that in Madrid. From the first whistle, Bale looked to be keen on proving a point and he ended the first period with two goals. Like a number of his teammates, Bale's performance dipped in the second period, but the damage had already been done. That said, Bale is still to win over a number of Real Madrid supporters, who will expect a performance at the Camp Nou next week.
Biggest gaffe
Ronaldo's body language was quite poor to be honest. The Portuguese did not seem too pleased that Bale opened the scoring, while he became increasingly frustrated with his inability to find the back of the net in the second period. Lionel Messi has now moved above Ronaldo in the race for the top scorer award in La Liga, but there is still plenty of time for that to change. The world's best two players will meet next weekend.
Referee performance
Referee Pedro Perez can be pleased with his performance in the Spanish capital. The official issued just the two yellow cards, with both of those coming for the home side. There were a couple of late challenges, but the Spaniard was always prepared to let the game flow in the correct areas and that pleased both sets of players. A number of referees could learn a lot from Perez's performance in this one.
What next?
Real Madrid: It is the big one next Sunday evening as Real Madrid travel to the league leaders Barcelona.
Levante: Levante, meanwhile, will host Celta Vigo on Saturday.
Matt Law
