Cristiano Ronaldo converted two penalties as Real Madrid battled to a 4-1 away win at Valencia in La Liga on Saturday, lifting the recent gloom over the defending Spanish and European champions.
The result leaves Madrid 16 points behind top placed Barcelona on 54, Atletico Madrid are second on 43, Valencia third on 40 with Real another two back.
Real manager Zinedine Zidane was able to field his favoured forward line of Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema for the first time in 279 days.
This was no walk in the park for Zidane’s men who had to fight until two late strikes from Marcelo and then Toni Kroos relieved the tension.
On a sunny afternoon at an animated Mestalla stadium with it’s impeccable turf and rowdy Curva Nord stand, Valencia, a club back on their feet after a decade of turmoil, had only lost once at home this season and gained a 2-2 draw at the Bernabeu in…
Read More…..Punch Newspapers
