Home comforts return for Madrid with victory over Eibar

Real Madrid were looking to keep the pressure on Barcelona at the top of the La Liga table and faced an out of sorts Eibar who are languishing just above of the relegation zone.

Eibar provided a spirited performance in the first half, but the own-goal was a sucker punch for the Basque side, and the hosts ended up cruising to a relatively comfortable victory at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Zinedine Zidane’s side almost got off to the perfect start when Asensio found Isco in acres of space at the edge of the box but the Spanish midfielder could only direct his effort straight at Marko Dmitrovic in the Eibar goal.

The visitors didn’t seem frightened at the occasion of playing at the Bernabeu, especially given Madrid’s recent stuttering home form, and Jose Luis Mendilibar’s side enjoyed a bright start to the game. Joan Jordan tested Kiko Casilla with an effort from outside the box and Jose Angel crossed in for Gonzalo Escalante but the midfielder just got under the ball and directed his header over the bar.

After an even opening to the game, it was the home side who broke the deadlock in fortuitous fashion after 18 minutes. Marco Asensio played a one-two with Isco from a Madrid corner, before swinging a dangerous ball into the box towards Sergio Ramos. Paulo Oliveira rose higher than the Madrid centre-back but inadvertently headed past Dmitrovic into his own goal to give the home side the lead.

Despite the unfortunate setback, Eibar refused to lie down, and Kiko Casilla had make an unorthodox save with his feet from a free-kick by the away side.

However, Eibar’s failure to create guild-edged chances came back to bite them after 27 minutes when Madrid doubled their lead. Isco cut the ball back into the box from the touchline and Asensio fired a first-time half-volley which went under Dmitrovic into the bottom corner. The goal ended somewhat of a drought for the 20-year-old, who hadn’t scored since his brace against Valencia in the second league game of the season.

Eibar continued to provide a threat on the counter attack, but weren’t able to really test Casilla in the Madrid goal and the hosts looked relatively comfortable for the remainder of the first half.

The second half was routine for the hosts, as Eibar failed to carry on the intensity with which they played in the first period.

In the first few minutes after the break, Isco had a chance to put the game to bed as he raced down the right and had a one-on-one with Dmitrovic but the goalkeeper got down well to save with his feet and turn the ball round for a corner.

Luka Modric then went close for the hosts, after nutmegging Jordan on the edge of the area, but his effort rolled wide of the post.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who was quiet for the majority of the game, and Karim Benzema, who had just come off the bench, then both had quick-fire chances to score Madrid’s third after 66 minutes. The Portuguese striker raced clear down the right, but once again Dmitrovic was out to thwart him from point blank range, and Benzema was unable to convert the rebound as he blasted over the bar.

Despite the missed opportunities, the home side were cruising to victory when Marcelo, recently off the bench, put the game to bed after capping off an excellent free-flowing move from Madrid on 81 minutes. Theo Hernandez broke down the left and knocked it to Marcelo, who played an excellent one-two with Benzema via a backheel, before turning on a sixpence inside the box and firing across Dmitrovic to make it 3-0.

Real Madrid’s second home league win of the season sent them into third place in La Liga, five points behind league leaders Barcelona.

Meanwhile, Eibar are now without a win in five league games and sit one point clear of safety in 16th place.