Benzema rescues derby stage for Real
Atletico Madrid squandered the opportunity to inflict much blow on Real Madrid's La Liga title expectations on Sunday as Karim Benzema's overdue equaliser earned the champions a 1-1 pull and kept them in the competition at the top.
Luis Suarez's flicked finish early in the first half looked to be adequate to give Atletico a crucial win that could have put them eight details free from their opponents, with a casino game in hand.
But they didn't get their authority count and Benzema punished them in the 88th minute, his goal earning Real Madrid a pull that assures the gap between your two city rivals remains at five points.
"They took the primary one half and we took the next, the draw was pretty much a fair final result," said Zinedine Zidane. "There remains most of the time left and we'll struggle to the end."
Atletico's lead continues to be considerable and they may extend it to eight factors with 12 matches still left if indeed they win their game in hand at home to Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday evening.
But at full-time, it had been Real Madrid's players who had smiles on their faces, while Suarez remaining the pitch shaking his brain, with Atletico only too aware this was an enormous opportunity missed.
"It depends which way you look at it," said Diego Simeone. "In the negative, they equalised within the last minute, or the positive, that people played very well in general, that we absolutely handled the first one half, and dominated the next."
The title race remains quite definitely in Atletico's favour but still up for grabs, specifically for Barcelona, who were possibly the biggest beneficiaries of the result.
Barca, whose users were voting found in the club's latest president on Sunday, now sit three points in back of Atletico, having played a game more. They also face Simeone's area at Camp Nou in May.
"It's an extended and challenging competition," added Simeone. "I don't know very well what people expected, that people were going to succeed it by 20 tips? We know it will be difficult."
Kieran Trippier played his first of all game since January after serving his 10-week ban for breaking betting guidelines while Benzema proved his worth again, after appearing deemed in shape enough to get started on following periods with a groin strain.
Atletico were far better in the first one half, stronger, more aggressive, better on your golf ball and with a good clearer approach that restricted Real Madrid to one long-shot from Casemiro and a glancing Benzema header.
By then, Real were behind, the opening objective from the familiar collaboration down the proper. Trippier enjoyed out from deep into the path of the excellent Marcos Llorente, who nipped the ball from the diving Nacho Fernandez.
A poked pass behind Raphael Varane found Suarez and he flicked a exceptional finish with the exterior of his ft . around goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and in to the far corner.
Atletico won every concern and loose ball but missed another goal. Madrid wished a penalty towards the end of the half after the ball struck Felipe on the palm however the referee was unconvinced, possibly after consulting the screen.
Real Madrid rallied and for some time the game exposed. Nacho gone close at the trunk content before Yannick Carrasco twice acquired the better of Lucas Vazquez, the next time pulling back again for Suarez, whose surface finish was blocked.
Angel Correa scuffed when clear of six yards out.
Atletico appeared to possess regained their authority but they didn't give themselves a good cushion and tension grew.
Benzema fired above and Jan Oblak pulled off an unbelievable double preserve, denying the Frenchman from level blank before waking up to block the rebound.
Two minutes remained when Benzema finally struck. He bundled through, the ball cannoning through kindly for Casemiro, who capitalised with an ice-cold pull-back again for his team-mate, who got an open net.
