Bale rises to the occasion at Anoeta

Zidane rings changes

Real Madrid were without Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema and Zinedine Zidane chose to start with Borja Mayoral, Lucas Vazquez and Gareth Bale up front, while James stepped up in midfield and Nacho was in at left back. Madrid may have had one eye on next week’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Manchester City but they started brightly.

Madrid chances

Bale pulled a shot wide, Lucas had a shot saved and Sergio Ramos’s header from a corner drifted just wide. Bale headed wide at another corner and then James fired straight at Geronimo Rulli when well placed. Nacho, in for Marcelo, had perhaps the best chance of the first period when he broke down the left and into the area but his effort was blocked and La Real scrambled the ball away.

Rulli stands firm

Real Sociedad were without forwards Carlos Vela and Jonathas but managed to keep Madrid on their toes in an open encounter, despite starting without a win in three games. Rulli made a string of important interventions, as he had done recently when denying Barcelona, and pulled off one stunning save to deny Bale with his leg early in the second half.

Bale header

Zidane had turned to Jese and Isco to pep up his attack but it was Lucas and Bale who combined to score the winner. The former youth-team player broke down the right and curled a ball in towards the near post. Bale attacked the ball aggessively and buried a header into the near top corner for his 19th this season, and his ninth header.

FULL TIME | @RealSociedadEN 0-1 @realmadriden

(Bale 80).#RSOvRMA pic.twitter.com/BGUjcxvWw5

— LaLiga (@LaLigaEN) April 30, 2016

 

10/10

It was a tenth victory on the trot for Zidane’s men and put them provisionally top of the standings on 84 points, two ahead of Atletico Madrid and Barcelona, who were playing later on Saturday evening.