Real Madrid thump Granada as Rodriguez stars

Stuart Appleby 01:02 07/05/2017
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  • On target: Rodriguez.

    Relegated Granada were never likely to present too many obstacles to Real Madrid’s title challenge, and so it proved as James Rodriguez’s early double set up a comfortable victory in a mismatch of embarrassing proportions.

    Madrid’s thumping victory moved them level on points with Barca – who beat Villarreal 4-1 earlier in the day – but crucially Los Blancos have a game in hand over their Catalans rivals which means victory in their three remaining matches – against Sevilla at the Bernabeu and Celta Vigo and Malaga away from home – will secure a first league title since 2012, irrespective of what Luis Enrique do in their last two games.

    Despite Zinedine Zidane making nine changes to the team which started against Atletico in midweek, Los Blancos needed only two minutes to go ahead as Lucas Vazquez found space on the right to deliver a low cross which James could not fail to convert from close range.

    It was 2-0 after 10 minutes, when Fabio Coentrao made the most of a rare start to produce a fine centre, allowing James to power goalwards a header which Granada keeper Guillermo Ochoa probably should have saved but couldn’t.

    The result was never in any doubt from that moment, with the home team showing precisely the lack of confidence to be expected after a run of five straight losses and suffering relegation last weekend.

    Granada interim manager Tony Adams took the highly unusual step of making a tactical substitution after just 17 minutes, adding another man into the centre of midfield, but that did little to change the nature of the game as Madrid comfortably protected their lead.

    It was no surprise when they went three ahead after half-an hour, with Alvaro Morata running onto Danilo’s cutback to crash home an unstoppable shot from the penalty spot.

    If it was a fight the contest would have undoubtedly stopped at that moment, but Granada were forced to battle on and they soon fell further behind when Morata received Marco Asensio’s pass and turned onto his right foot to unleash another powerful finish.

    Vazquez thumped a shot against the bar and Casemiro blazed a good chance over before the break, and the early stages of the second half saw Danilo hit the outside of the post before Vazquez’s quest for a goal continued with a low shot which Ochoa saved well.

    Sergio Ramos missed two good chances from close range as the visitors continued to dominate, before Martin Hongla fired Granada’s best opportunity of the night over the bar.

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