Madrid return to top of league with Granada win

Published on: 02 December 2023

Toni Kroos provided an excellent pass to set up Braham Diaz's opener in Madrid's win over Granada

Real Madrid returned to the top of La Liga with a comfortable 2-0 victory over struggling Granada.

Los Blancos started the day in first place but dropped to second for a matter of hours after Girona's earlier 2-1 win over Valencia.

Germany midfielder Toni Kroos provided an excellent pass to set up Brahim Diaz for the opener on 26 minutes.

The win was secured after 57 minutes when Rodrygo powered home the rebound after Jude Bellingham's shot was saved.

Carlo Ancelotti's side have now won five consecutive games in all competitions and are unbeaten at the Bernabeu this season, despite missing a host of players, including Vinicius Jr, Luka Modric and Eduardo Camavinga, through injury.

They are top of the league on goal difference ahead of Girona, who beat Valencia thanks to two late goals from ex-Middlesbrough striker Cristhian Stuani, while Granada remain 19th with only one win from their opening 15 league matches.

    La Liga table

Bellingham and Antonio Rudiger were both yellow carded for showing their frustration to the referee after 22 minutes as they asked for a free-kick for a trip on the in-form midfielder which was not given.

The hosts took the lead with an excellently worked goal - effectively a one-two - but owed much to an excellent return pass by Kroos which found the run of Diaz behind the Granada defence and the 24-year-old took a touch before finishing.

Diaz was involved again three minutes before half-time with a deft backheel to set Bellingham through on goal but the England star's goalscoring touch deserted him as he scuffed a shot wide.

They doubled their lead through another well-constructed goal as Joselu's flick put Diaz into space and his cross found Bellingham whose shot was well saved, only for the ball to drop to Rodrygo to grab his sixth league goal of the season.

    Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text

Line-upsReal Madrid

Formation 4-4-2

13Lunin2Carvajal22Rüdiger4Alaba23Mendy21Díaz15Valverde8Kroos5Bellingham14Joselu11Rodrygo

    13Lunin2CarvajalSubstituted forVázquezat 45'minutes22RüdigerBooked at 22mins4Alaba23Mendy21DíazSubstituted forPazat 88'minutes15Valverde8Kroos5BellinghamBooked at 22mins14JoseluSubstituted forCeballosat 70'minutes11RodrygoSubstituted forGarcíaat 85'minutes

Substitutes

    6Nacho17Vázquez19Ceballos20García25Arrizabalaga Revuelta28Martín31Cañizares32Paz33García38Zidane

Granada

Formation 4-4-2

1Fernández12Sánchez14Miquel28Torrente15Neva3Migueis Manafá Jancó20Ruiz23Gumbau26Zaragoza11Uzuni7Boyé

    1FernándezSubstituted forMagalhães Ribeiro Ferreiraat 11'minutes12Sánchez14Miquel28Torrente15Neva3Migueis Manafá JancóSubstituted forPetrovicat 64'minutes20Ruiz23GumbauBooked at 77mins26ZaragozaSubstituted forCarrerasat 83'minutes11UzuniSubstituted forWeissmanat 64'minutes7BoyéSubstituted forRodríguez Díazat 83'minutes

Substitutes

    9Callejón10Rodríguez Díaz13Magalhães Ribeiro Ferreira16Díaz17Weissman18Petrovic19Diédhiou21Melendo22Perea32Bosch33Carreras

Referee:Pablo González FuertesAttendance:70,685Match StatsHome TeamReal MadridAway TeamGranadaPossessionHome71%Away29%ShotsHome11Away2Shots on TargetHome4Away0CornersHome7Away0FoulsHome10Away12Live Text Post update

Match ends, Real Madrid 2, Granada CF 0.

90'+4'Full Time

Second Half ends, Real Madrid 2, Granada CF 0.

90'+3'Post update

Attempt missed. Nico Paz (Real Madrid) left footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Lucas Vázquez.

90'Post update

Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Raúl Torrente.

90'Post update

Attempt blocked. Nico Paz (Real Madrid) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Jude Bellingham.

89'Post update

Attempt missed. Gerard Gumbau (Granada CF) left footed shot from more than 35 yards misses to the left. Assisted by Antonio Puertas.

88'Substitution

Substitution, Real Madrid. Nico Paz replaces Brahim Díaz.

87'Post update

Foul by Brahim Díaz (Real Madrid).

87'Post update

Ignasi Miquel (Granada CF) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

87'Post update

Attempt missed. Antonio Puertas (Granada CF) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right.

86'Post update

Foul by Dani Ceballos (Real Madrid).

86'Post update

Carlos Neva (Granada CF) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

85'Substitution

Substitution, Real Madrid. Gonzalo García replaces Rodrygo.

85'Post update

Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Ricard Sánchez.

83'Post update

Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

83'Post update

Foul by Gerard Gumbau (Granada CF).

83'Substitution

Substitution, Granada CF. Antonio Puertas replaces Lucas Boyé.

83'Substitution

Substitution, Granada CF. Álvaro Carreras replaces Bryan Zaragoza because of an injury.

82'Post update

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

82'Post update

Delay in match because of an injury Bryan Zaragoza (Granada CF).

Page 1 of 5rewindpreviousNavigate to the next pagenextNavigate to the last pageforward

Source: bbc.com