Granada – Valladolid 1:1 (end) | Real – Betis 3:1 (end)
final
Real Madrid
3:1 (1:0)
Real Betis
Saturday 20.04.2013, 18:00 • LaLiga
     
    Thank you for following the game with us! (19:55:16)
     
    In the second half guests Betis showed a rather disappointing performance until Molina scored the 2-1 via penalty shot with 17 minutes left to go of regular time. In the last minutes they even had the big opportunity for the equalizer when Ruben Castro hit the crossbar but just a minute later Özil made everything clear for Real Madrid!
     
    Game over.
     
    90+3
    Higuain with the next opportunity but his shot from the left side of the guest area goes just wide past the right bottom corner!
     
    90+3
    Pepe with a blast from about 22 metres distance, goes just wide!
     
    90+2
    Ronaldo with the pass to Callejon whose shot from the border of the 18-yard box is blocked by a defender.
     
    90
    Three minutes are added to the game.
     
    90
    Goal for Real!

    Cross by Ronaldo from the left side of the guest area, volley shot by Callejon which is deflected by a defender and MESUT ÖZIL scores from inside the six-yard box for the decision and his double today!
     
    90
    On the other side of the pitch Ronaldo had a scoring opportunity from 10 metres distance only. Superb save by Adrian!
     
    89
    What a huge, huge double opportunity for Betis!!! Carvalho with a weak back pass via header to Adrian and Ruben Castro is in between to hit the crossbar from five metres distance! The ball then comes to Pabon but he is stopped by Albiol with the wide open net in front of him!
     
    88
    Counter attack for Real Madrid but Higuain stood two metres offside.
     
    87
    The corner was directed towards the goal itself. Easily caught by Diego Lopez.
     
    86
    Clearing attempt by Albiol, provokes a corner for Betis.
     
    84
    Not much time left for the guests from Southern Spain to draw level but Real Madrid look a bit nervous.
     
    81
    Ronaldo (Real) gets a yellow card for an entry against Chica. Very hard decision as he pulled back his leg...
     
    80
    The corner from the left side was executed fast by the guests but the following cross went wide several metres.
     
    80
    Sharp cross by the guests from the right outside lane, just cleared at cost of a corner by a defender.
     
    78
    Higuain (Real) gets a yellow card for a hard entry from the side deep inside the home team's half.
     
    77
    Hard free kick by Ronaldo but not very well-placed. Adrian clears the ball to the side.
     
    76
    Push from behind against Pepe 25 metres in front of the Betis net. Good free kick position for Real Madrid.
     
    75
    Betis are trying to use the momentum after cutting the Madrid lead to the half and the home fans are immidiately back with a lot of support for their team.
     
    73
    Goal for Betis!


    Almost a perfect penalty shot by JORGE MOLINA towards the right top corner! Diego Lopez touched the ball slightly but it went in anyway!
     
    72
    Also the last change for Real Madrid. Higuain enters the pitch for goal scorer Benzema.
     
    71
    Nacho (Real) gets a yellow card for his foul against Molina.
     
    71
    Penalty shot for Betis after a clear foul by Nacho against Molina!
     
    71
    The following corner from the left side for the hosts brought no danger.
     
    70
    Ronaldo with a sharp cross from left to the Betis net, blocked by a defender in the last moment. Benzema then conquered the ball back for Real Madrid but his shot was blocked aswell, this time though for a corner.
     
    68
    Ruben Perez enters the pitch for Canas. Last possible change for Betis.
     
    67
    Pabon with a shot from the second row, goes wide significantly past the right post.
     
    66
    The corner itself brought no danger at all and was easily cleared.
     
    66
    Brilliant dribbling by Ronaldo just left to the Betis goal, wins a corner for the hosts.
     
    64
    Ronaldo with a pass for Callejon towards the border of the 18-yard box but the Real midfielder waited too long so that the ball was easily intercepted.
     
    62
    Second change also for Real Madrid. Modric leaves the pitch injured and in for him now is Pepe.
     
    61
    Vadillo with a shot from the left side of the Madrid area, goes wide past the right top corner.
     
    59
    Second change by the guests. The today very weak Campbell leaves the pitch for youngster Vadillo.
     
    57
    Goal for Real!

    Fast attack by the home side, Ronaldo with a perfect service for Benzema towards the left side of the guest area, and the French striker fires the ball into the left bottom corner in the 1-on-1 with Adrian! Is this already the decision for the hosts?
     
    56
    Hard foul by Casemiro in the midfield, lucky not to be booked for it.
     
    55
    Canas (Betis) sees the first yellow card of the game for pulling the jersey of his opponent Mesut Özil from behind and throwing him to the ground.
     
    53
    Double chance for Benzema from short distance but twice Adrian was able to clear the situation!
     
    51
    After receiving a push from behind Carvalho fell to the ground. He looks to have problems with one of his feet.
     
    49
    Through ball for Callejon, too long for him.
     
    48
    Very offensive start into the second 45 minutes by the guests from Sevilla.
     
    46
    First change by the guests. Nosa stayed in the dressing rooms in the half time break. In for him now is Molina.
     
    46
    Start of 2nd half.
     
    Both teams had multiple scoring chances in the first 45 minutes, including a shot by Madrid's Ronaldo that hit the post and a shot by Betis' Pabon that hit the crossbar. In the last minute before the half time break though Özil opened the score for the home side, lucky but not undeserved.
     
    1st halftime finished.
     
    45
    Two minutes are added to the first half.
     
    45
    Goal for Real!

    In the last minute before half time MESUT ÖZIL opens the score for Real Madrid after receiving a brilliant through ball by Karim Benzema. He then was alone in front of Adrian and fired the ball into the right bottom corner!
     
    43
    Another huge opportunity for Betis!! After a pass by Benat towards the border of the 18-yard box it was Pabon who hit the crossbar with his powerful shot!
     
    42
    Özil slips in the duel with Canas and touches the ball with his hands. Free kick for Betis in their own area.
     
    41
    Campbell with a shot from the right side of the Madrid area, goes wide significantly.
     
    39
    Ronaldo goes past Canas, tries it with a shot from about 20 metres distance and hits the right goal post! Best opportunity for Real Madrid so far! The ball then came to Benzerma who was called back for a very clear offside position!
     
    38
    Next offside call against Real Madrid, again it was Callejon who was the victim of the good work of the Betis defense.
     
    37
    After a long cross from the right wing Ruben Castro tries it with a header from shot distance, goes just over the crossbar! Betis have the better opportunites currently.
     
    35
    Campbell with a nice sideways scissor-kick from the border of the 18-yard box, goes half a metre wide past the right post!
     
    33
    Benat with a shot from the second row, into the gloves of Diego Lopez.
     
    33
    Another long ball for the home side, easily caught by Adrian.
     
    31
    Ronaldo with a cross that is blocked and he claims a penalty shot but "no" says the referee.
     
    29
    1-2 play by the hosts deep inside the Betis half but the last through ball for Ronaldo was too long.
     
    27
    Finally a fast combination by the guests over several players but in the end a Real defender was in between.
     
    26
    After a long ball Ronaldo goes down in the 1-on-1 with Betis goalkeeper Adrian but this had more of a dive than a foul and the Portuguese striker smiles.
     
    25
    Özil with the attempt of a through ball by but a defender intercepts it.
     
    24
    Pabon with a lob for Betis from about 20 metres distance, goes wide without danger.
     
    22
    Callejon receives a through ball at the right side of the guest six-yard box but his shot towards the left corner goes just wide!
     
    21
    Modric with a corner for Real from the right side towards the penalty shot point and the following header by Ronaldo is cleared over the the crossbar by goalkeeper Adrian with his finger tips!
     
    20
    Real Madrid are trying to take over the initiative but off course the team never played with these players and they need a bit of time to adjust.
     
    18
    First dangerous attack by the hosts. Benzema with a back pass from the left side of the guest area to Ronaldo whose very hard shot goes wide from about 10 metres distance!
     
    15
    After only 15 minutes Marcelo has to leave the pitch injured. Looks like he received a knee injury in the previous situation. In for him now is Varane.
     
    13
    Marcelo with a good clearance as last man in the duel with Pabon but then he slipped and now he receives treatment by the team staff.
     
    12
    Flat cross by Marcelo from the left side of the guest area,blocked by Amaya at cost of a corner.
     
    11
    Long ball by Albiol for Benzema but the French international is half a metre offside.
     
    9
    Özil with a pass from the right side of the guest area towards the middle but his team mate Benzema didn't reach the ball!
     
    8
    On the other side of the pitch Casemiro tries it with a shot from about 20 metres distance towards the left bottom corner, cleared at cost of a corner by Adrian.
     
    7
    And the corner from the right side was extremly dangerous! First Nosa forced Diego Lopez to make a spectacular save before Ruben Castro brought the ball over the goal line – but from a clear offside position!
     
    7
    First corner of the match, for the guests from Sevilla after a clearance by Carvalho.
     
    5
    Good through ball by Casemiro who gives his first team debut for the hosts today but Callejon was in an offside position.
     
    4
    Hard entry by Marcelo on the left wing. Free kick for the guests but they are not able to create any danger.
     
    2
    After a hard entry by Modric Betis player Paulao lay on the pitch for almost the whole first two minutes with both teams not paying attention and continuing to play...
     
    1
    Game started.
     
    Real Madrid head coach Mourinho made several changes in key positions before this game due to the Champions League duel in Dortmund next week!
     
    Starting lineups:

    Real Madrid: D. Lopez – Nacho, Albiol, R. Carvalho, Marcelo – Casemiro, Modric – Callejon, Özil, C. Ronaldo – Benzema

    Real Betis: Adrian – A. Martinez, Amaya, Paulao, Chica – Benat, Canas – J. Campbell, Nosa, Pabon – R. Castro

    Referees: Alvarez Izquierdo
     
    After a disappointing start into the season Real Madrid have little to no chances left to become Spanish champions with their 13-point deficit towards league leaders FC Barcelona but after a great streak in recent months they were able to conquer the second spot with 68 points after 31 games and a three-point advantage towards their city rivals Atlético Madrid. Today's opponents Real Betis are 7th in the league table with 48 points and thus a two-point deficit towards the European spots.

    In the last 9 matches Real Madrid had an almost perfect 8-1-0 record. For their guests Real Betis the last weeks were a constant up and down when they faced Valencia CF (0-3), Getafe CF (0-0), Granada CF (5-1) and Sevilla FC (3-3).

    After their return to Primera División in 2011 Betis played three times against Real Madrid. After two losses in the past season, they were able to win the first game against Madrid this year with 1-0 at home!

    If Real Madrid can extend their success streak before next week's Champions League semifinal match against Borussia Dortmund or if Real Betis can surprise them again, we'll see soon!
     
    Welcome. Game starts at 17:00 GMT / 18:00 CET.
    Commentary by

    Dennis Mende

    Goals & lineups
    Goals: 45. Özil, 57. Benzema, 90. Özil – 73. Molina (pen.)

    Cards:   71. Nacho (REA), 78. Higuain (REA), 81. Ronaldo (REA) – 55. Canas (BET)

    Real Madrid: D. Lopez – Nacho, Albiol, R. Carvalho, Marcelo (15. Varane) – Casemiro, Modric (62. Pepe) – Callejon, Özil, C. Ronaldo – Benzema (72. Higuain)
    Real Betis: Adrian – A. Martinez, Amaya, Paulao, Chica – Benat, Canas (68. R. Perez) – J. Campbell (59. Vadillo), Nosa (46. Molina), Pabon – R. Castro
    Referees: Alvarez Izquierdo