Below-par Real Madrid held by Betis with Chelsea test to come
Real Madrid handed the initiative back to Atletico Madrid in La Liga on Saturday by drawing in the home to Real Betis, a result that raises doubts about the team's condition before Tuesday's Champions League semi-final against Chelsea.
Eden Hazard was thrown on for the last a quarter-hour of the 0-0 draw at Valdebebas in that which was only the Belgian's second appearance in 90 days but Madrid could not discover a way through.
Atletico are actually two points clear at the top of La Liga and may extend that advantage to five by winning away at Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.
Barcelona could pull level on points with Real Madrid if they overcome Villarreal.
Real Madrid struggled for chances and the concern will be that lots of injuries and fatigue are catching up with Zinedine Zidane's side at an essential moment in the season.
"It's two points dropped, that's obvious, we lacked a whole lot going forward, especially in the beginning of the game," said Zidane.
"We weren't sharp but that can happen. We have to go again on Tuesday."
They play Chelsea at home on Tuesday in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals in fact it is possible none of Toni Kroos, Sergio Ramos, Ferland Mendy, Fede Valverde or Lucas Vazquez, all absent because of injury, will return.
Kroos and Mendy have the very best chance, with Zidane saying afterwards they might be assessed on Sunday.
Hazard could feature against his former club after coming on for the final quarter of an hour but the fact Zidane waited such a long time to introduce him suggests he's still not considered match fit, having now played thirty minutes because the end of January.
"I think in a quarter-hour he did well," said Zidane.
"He played with spark, with energy. The main thing was nothing was bothering him. He can make a notable difference, absolutely, and we will need him."
After an impressive few weeks where Real Madrid knocked Liverpool out of the Champions League and became favourites to overhaul Atletico in La Liga, Zidane's team have now been held to three draws in their last four matches, all of them without scoring a goal.
Neither side had much success in the first half but the game exposed in the second as the rain poured down and the ball commenced to skid over the turf.
Rodrygo struck the bar, his overhit cross almost flying in, before Betis had three chances in ten minutes, the best of them falling to Borja Iglesias but he hesitated and Dani Carvajal intervened.
Madrid, though, came again as Luka Modric's bending effort was saved before Marcelo found space in the box but skewed his finish wide of the post.
Marcelo and Alvaro Odriozola had come on, with Zidane deploying wing-backs to locate a winner, and then Hazard was introduced with a quarter-hour left.
Hazard weaved inside and chosen Vinicius Junior but Vinicius slipped with the target around the corner. Madrid had to settle for a point.
