Cristiano Ronaldo paraded his Ballon d'Or trophy and scored his league-leading 22nd goal, helping Real Madrid to provisionally move top of the Spanish league with a 2-0 win over Granada on Saturday.
Ronaldo soaked up an ovation from fans in the Santiago Bernabeu
Stadium as he held up his award for the best player in the world in 2013
before the match, which he then put his stamp on with a pinpoint strike
to score in the 56th minute.
Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso welcomed the Portuguese's chance "to be
able to celebrate ... with the people who have supported him so much
these past years."
Karim Benzema sealed Madrid's ninth straight win — and seventh
consecutive clean sheet — in all competitions in the 74th, moments after
Ronaldo's deflected free kick clipped the crossbar.
Madrid moved two points above Barcelona and Atletico Madrid before they both play on Sunday.
"My team is playing perfectly in 2014," Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti
said. "It has balance between attack and defence. That's the key. We
haven't won any silverware yet ... but our games in 2014 have been
perfect."
Also, Valladolid ended Villarreal's three-game winning run with a 1-0
victory at home courtesy of defender Jesus Rueda's 40th-minute header
to provisionally escape the relegation zone.
Madrid's Gareth Bale was substituted at halftime after being kicked
in the groin early on. Ancelotti said after the game Bale wasn't
injured, just "uncomfortable," and he expects his winger to be ready for
the Copa del Rey match against Espanyol on Tuesday.
Sunday, January 26, 2014
