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Real Sociedad 0-1 Real Madrid: Neat Gonzalo Higuain finish enough for Jose Mourinho's men to go top of La Liga
A ninth minute strike from the Argentine was sufficient for the capital giants to collect maximum points in San Sebastian, and secure a sixth straight league win
A composed first-half effort from Gonzalo Higuain proved enough to help Real Madrid emerge from San Sebastian with a hard-earned 1-0 victory over Real Sociedad in Saturday's Primera Division clash.
The forward continued his rich vein of form by deftly dinking the ball into the net from inside the area, and although Sociedad rallied in the second period, Madrid's path to the three points was never truly in danger.
Visiting coach Jose Mourinho opted to start Higuain in attack and the striker immediately repaid the faith shown by his boss by opening the scoring on nine minutes.
As Sociedad attempted to remain compact, Fabio Coentrao moved forward from left-back and slipped a neat pass into the path of the Argentine, who, as Claudio Bravo approached, neatly scooped the ball over his diving body and into the net.
The Basque side's game plan had clearly been to contain and attempt to hit Madrid on the counter, but their efforts had been outdone, and at times in the opening exchanges their suspect offside trap threatened to become their downfall.
Angel Di Maria forced Bravo into a diving save to his left, while Cristiano Ronaldo meandered through the defence with a series of step-overs, but lost control at an inopportune moment and the chance in front of goal was gone.
Madrid remained dominant, and the opening 45 minutes was almost exclusively played in Sociedad's half, as the hosts struggled to exert any kind of influence on proceedings.
But, for all of Madrid's control, another goal was not forthcoming, and despite having just 30 per cent of possession going into the interval, Sociedad remained in the game.
And the second half offered Philippe Montanier's side a chink of light as Madrid appeared to relax and allow their opponents breathing space for the first time in the contest.
The ball was now equally shared between the sides, and Sociedad sensed an opportunity. Carlos Vela strode forward to fire in a shot that warmed the gloves of Iker Casillas, then substitute Antoine Griezmann forced Spain's No.1 into a diving save low to his left.
Madrid realised that the result was far from certain, and responded in kind. Alvaro Arbeloa dragged an effort wide of the target, then Higuain chose the wrong option in attempting to find Ronaldo when a shooting opportunity looked clear.
Sergio Ramos then squandered an opening, sliding in to hook the ball wide from the edge of the six-yard box, but a second goal was not needed; Madrid collected the win, and moved back ahead of Barcelona to the top of La Liga, with Levante playing on Sunday.
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Olympique Lyonnais 0-2 Real Madrid: Cristiano Ronaldo nets 100th goal for Spanish giants as Jose Mourinho's men cruise into the knockout stages
The Portuguese attacker grabbed a brace to ensure the Spanish giants reach the knockout stages of Europe's elite competition, despite two fixtures still left to play in Group D
Cristiano Ronaldo grabbed his 99th and 100th goals for Real Madrid to help his club secure their place in the Champions League round of 16 with two games to spare, after ending their Stade Gerland hoodoo with a 2-0 win against Olympique Lyonnais.
Ronaldo grabbed his first goal of the game in the 24th minute with a thunderous set-piece from just outside the penalty area in a game that Madrid dominated. He added his second of the evening and his century goal for Madrid in the 69th minute from the penalty spot.
The result leaves the Spanish club on 12 points at the top of Group D and maintains there 100 per cent record in the competition with the Spaniards yet to concede a goal in their opening four fixtures.
Lyon remain in third place, three points behind Ajax with the two teams due to meet in a fortnight and the French team in need of victory against Frank de Boer's men.
After a nervy start, Madrid could have taken the lead in the 10th minute yet Lloris made a superb save to deny Jose Mourinho's men. Mesut Ozil played a precise throughball to Karim Benzema who saw his shot from 12 yards tipped brilliantly over the bar by his international team-mate Hugo Lloris.
The away side took a deserved lead in the 24th minute after they were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the box following a foul on Benzema. Ronaldo stepped up to smash the ball through the wall and into the far corner, past the flailing attempts of Lloris in the Lyon goal - the Portuguese attacker's 99th goal in the white shirt of Madrid.
However, despite the away side looking the better team, Lyon nearly drew level in the 46th minute. Bafetimbi Gomis slid the ball through to Yoann Gourcuff who saw his effort just inside the box expertly turned over the bar by Iker Casillas to preserve his team's lead at half-time.
After weathering a short renaissance from Lyon at the beginning of the second half, Ronaldo scored his second of the evening and his 100th for Madrid after Mouhamadou Dabo fouled the former Manchester United man in the box on 69 minutes. Ronaldo coolly stepped up to dispatch the ball into the far corner, despite Lloris diving the right way.
The away team were given a late scare in the 78th minute when Gourcuff's corner was met by the head of substitute Alexandre Lacazette who could only watch on as his effort bounced back off the crossbar, with Madrid holding on for all three points in France.
Next up in Europe for Mourinho's side is the visit of Dinamo Zagreb to the Bernabeu on November 22 while Lyon travel to Ajax on the same evening - desperate for a positive result to keep their qualification hopes alive.
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Real Madrid 7-1 Osasuna: Ronaldo fires hat-trick as Jose Mourinho's men destroy visitors and extend lead at La Liga summit
The Portuguese attacker inspired his side to go goal crazy against Jose Luis Mendilibar's men, who really struggled to compete with the stars of the White House
Real Madrid cruised to an emphatic 7-1 win against ten-man Osasuna at the Bernabeu to extend their lead at the top of Spain's Primera Division to four points.
The home side opened the scoring on 23 minutes minutes when Cristiano Ronaldo found the back of the net. Ibrahima Balde equalised eight minutes later before Pepe restored the lead on 34 minutes.
Higuain gave Madrid a 3-1 lead at the break before Ronaldo completed his hat-trick early in the second period with two quick strikes as Osasuna were reduced to ten men when debutant Satrustegui was shown a second yellow. Karim Benzema added another two to complete the rout for an impressive Madrid side.
Jose Mourinho's men will remain as the league's leaders although rivals Barcelona can reduce the deficit to one point if they are victorious on Sunday evening against Athletic Bilbao.
Despite looking a little casual in the early stages, Madrid took the lead in the 23rd minute through a slight defensive lapse from Osasuna. Angel Di Maria curled an inviting ball into the box from the right wing which was met with a precise header from Cristiano Ronaldo who diverted the ball over Andres who was two yards off his line.
The home team looked comfortable after going a goal up yet were pegged back on 31 minutes after a quick set-piece from Osasuna. Madrid expected their opposition to shoot from the edge of the box until Raul Garcia quickly slid the ball to Ibrahima Balde who placed it between the legs of Iker Casillas and into the net from 12 yards out - amid complaints from Los Blancos players.
However, an angry Madrid did not have to wait long until they took the lead for a second time. Jose Luis Mendilibar's men failed to clear a corner which led to Di Maria whipping a cross to the back post which was headed into the bottom corner by Pepe, despite Ronaldo's best attempts to steal the goal.
Mourinho's men certainly had their tails up and added a delightful third on 40 minutes following some great build-up play. Mesut Ozil slid the ball to Di Maria on the edge of the box who then played a through ball to Gonzalo Higuain. His compatriot then turned his marker before curling the ball into the top corner from 15 yards out - a wonderful goal from the in-form striker to give his side a comfortable half-time lead.
Madrid did not have to wait long in the second-half to extend their lead when Satrustegui was shown a second yellow card in the 55th minute for bringing down Ozil in the box. Ronaldo stepped up to smash the ball into the bottom corner, sending Andres the wrong way.
Ronaldo grabbed his 12th Real Madrid hat-trick three minutes later as Madrid netted their fifth of the game. Alvaro Arbeloa did well to make his way into the box before clipping a cross over to the Portuguese attacker to head into the top corner.
Madrid added another on 63 minutes when Coentrao beat Damia before putting the ball into the box for substitute Karim Benzema to smash it past Andres from six yards out.
On 81 minutes the home side added a seventh goal after some good play by Arbeloa. The full-back won the ball in midfield before sliding it into the path of Benzema who lashed it home from 12 yards out past the helpless Andres to complete the scoring.
With an international break interrupting domestic fixtures next weekend, Madrid return to La Liga action in a fortnight's time when they travel to Valencia. Osasuna will entertain Rayo Vallecano on November 20.
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Valencia 2-3 Real Madrid: Cristiano Ronaldo goal clinches hard-fought win as Jose Mourinho's men move three points clear of Barcelona
Jose Mourinho's side make it eleven wins in a row in all competitions with a tense win over La Liga's third placed side to extend their lead at the top of La Liga
Real Madrid fought their way to a vital win against Valencia in this La Liga clash at Mestalla, despite the home side rallying well in the second-half.
A goal of real class midway through the first half from Karim Benzema gave Madrid the lead, with further goals from Sergio Ramos and Cristiano Ronaldo sealing the win despite Roberto Soldado scoring a second-half brace for the hosts.
The game started at a frenetic pace with both sides looking to push forward whenever possible. Valencia had their first shot within the very first minute while Real Madrid nearly took the lead on 10 minutes when Karim Benzema flashed a well-struck shot wide from the edge of the area.
Benzema made no mistake with his next chance, controlling a quick free-kick from Xabi Alonso brilliantly with his left foot before rifling a fantastic volley into the back of the net from 18 yards to give his side the lead.
Madrid were beginning to enjoy themselves as the half wore on, Sami Khedira having an explosive shot chalked off for offside, and Ronaldo meanwhile was at his efferevescent best, indulging in a series of keepie-ups whilst running with the ball in the middle of the pitch.
However, it wasn't all going Mourinho's side's way, former Real Madrid academy player Dani Parejo going close, before Valencia had a penalty appeal turned down by the referee Jos Antonio Teixeira Vitienes.
Ronaldo nearly made it 2-0 just before half-time, racing through on goal only to see his effort pushed away well by Diego Alves.
Valencia went close to equalising shortly after the break, Jeremy Mathieu sliding a tantalising ball across Casillas' six yard box with Roberto Soldado inches away from diverting the ball into the net.
Madrid began to lose their discipline as Valencia looked to being edging their way back into the game, Ronaldo, Marcelo and Mesut Ozil all finding their way into the referee's book in quick succesion.
Despite their ill-discipline, it was Madrid that got the next goal of the game, Sergio Ramos heading home from an inviting Mesut Ozil corner. The goal appeared to give Madrid the breathing space they needed to see out the rest of the game.
Valencia, however, had other ideas, Soldado rifling home a volley through a crowded penalty area to make it 2-1 after Pablo Hernandez's shot appeared to have been pushed away to safety.
Ronaldo soon restored Madrid's two goal lead with a fine finish from an acute angle after Diego Alves had wrongly rushed from his line to meet the attacker.
The end-to-end nature of the game was far from over however, Soldado again getting in on the act, the in-form forward grabbing his second of the game after superb build-up play from Pablo on the wing.
The game ended in controversy as Valencia's players surrounded the referee after Ronaldo had appeared to block a last-minute goal-bound effort with his arm.
An eleventh win in a row maintains Madrid's three point lead over Barcelona at the top of the table. Valencia, meanwhile, are now seven points off the pace in La Liga, but can take pride from the manner of their second-half performance.
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[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Y1864FOar0]Real Madrid Vs Valencia 3-2(Cristiano Ronaldo Goals) All Goals & Full Match Highlight 19-11-2011 - YouTube[/ame]
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Real Madrid 4-1 Atletico Madrid: Cristiano Ronaldo scores two penalties as Jose Mourinho's men come from behind to ease past nine-man rivals
The Madrid derby produced an early shock but the hosts rallied and earned an exciting win over their cross-city rivals to extend their lead at the top of the table
The Spanish capital is painted white after goals from Cristiano Ronaldo, Angel Di Maria and Gonzalo Higuain earned Real Madrid a 4-1 victory over Atletico Madrid on Saturday at the Santiago Bernabeu.
After the visitors controlled the early stages of the contest, the home side managed to respond to secure the three points to ensure they remain top of the table after 13 rounds of games.
The rivalry got off to a cracking start just 15 minutes in and it was the visitors who took the lead when Adrian Lopez worked a quick combination on the right side before being sent into the box by Diego, where the young Spaniard punished Iker Casillas with a simple finish at the front post, bagging his fifth league goal of the season.
The home fans were silenced, but it would only be temporary as Los Blancos responded just six minutes later. Di Maria filtered a soft pass into the box, ultimately finding Karim Benzema, and the former Lyon man took a touch past Thibaut Courtois, who brought him down with his outstretched arms as a penalty kick was awarded in addition to a red card brandished to the on-loan shot-stopper.
Sergio Asenjo came on to go in goal as Diego was sacrificed. Ronaldo took the spot-kick for Madrid, finishing inside the left post to level proceedings.
There were no further goals in the first half but just three minutes into the second, Di Maria put Jose Mourinho's side in front. Ronaldo darted down the left side into the box to draw out Asenjo, before sending in a low ball that found the quick Argentine alone in the middle of the area and he finished well into the top of the net with an open goal.
In complete control, the home side extended their advantage in the 65th minute after Higuain chased down a ball that Diego Godin failed to clear as he strode into the box before making a move past the goalkeeper and finishing into the open net.
It went from bad to worse for Atleti with 10 minutes to go as they were reduced to nine men. Diego Godin was given his marching orders when he brought down Higuain inside the box which resulted in another penalty kick. Ronaldo stepped up again and sent his shot into the same side of the goal to wrap up the 4-1 win.
With the numerical advantage, the home side had a few more chances as the game reached its end and were able to control the Atletico attack to ensure the points went to Jose Mourinho's team.
With the victory, Real Madrid now have 34 points and remain in first place in La Liga, while Atletico Madrid sit mid-table with 16.
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[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNSNZycbwPM]Sevilla 2-6 Real Madrid Goals Highlights HD 17/12/2011 - YouTube[/ame]
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Report: Chelsea, City in Di Maria link
Manchester City and Chelsea have been linked with a move for Real Madrid winger Angel di Maria, according to reports in Spain.
The Argentina international has struggled to make a strong impact at the Santiago Bernabeu this season and there have been talks over a possible exit.
According to Spanish newspaper Marca, a Barclays Premier League side have made contact with Madrid over a possible move to sign the 23-year-old.
In fact, Di Maria have been offered a chance to triple his 1.65m-a-year salary at Madrid.
The club likely to fork out such extravagant packages is Manchester City, who are reportedly interested in adding the winger to their already illustrious ranks.
City lost out on Di Maria's signature to Madrid in 2010 and are now ready to prise him to the Etihad Stadium.
Not to be left out, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is also keen in joining the race to sign the former Benfica player as he is reportedly ready to sanction a 150million transfer kitty for Andre Villas-Boas.
Di Maria joined Madrid from Benfica in 2010 for 25 million.
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[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DODdqESNBQ]Real Madrid vs Barcelona 1-2 All Goals and Highlights 18/1/12 - YouTube[/ame]
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