Real Madrid 3 : 0 Sevilla - Title within Real's reach

Posted Sunday, April 29, 2012 by PA

Real Madrid closed in on their first Primera Division title in four years with a 3-0 victory over Sevilla.

A bright start from the hosts brought rewarded after 19 minutes as Cristiano Ronaldo slotted home his 57th goal of the season.

However, Sevilla then enjoyed a decent spell and passed up to glorious opportunities to equalise as Jesus Navas and Alvaro Negredo both fired over when one-on-one with Iker Casillas.

Any nerves among the hosts were settled quickly after the break, though, as Karim Benzema finished twice at the back post after fine crosses from Angel Di Maria and Sergio Ramos.

And it means, should Barcelona lose at Rayo Vallecano this evening, Madrid will officially be crowned Spanish champions for the 32nd time.

After the disappointment of going out of the Champions League to Bayern Munich on Wednesday night, manager Jose Mourinho lamented the physical strain put on his players by playing Barcelona in between the two legs of their semi-final

But the Portuguese only made one change to the side that started against Bayern as Esteban Granero came in for Sami Khedira.

The hosts were fortunate not to be a goal down after just five minutes as Federico Fazio had the ball in the net, but referee Mateu Lahoz had already blown for a foul by Negredo on Pepe.

The league leaders were soon into their stride, though, and made the breakthrough inside 20 minutes as Benzema freed Ronaldo on the left and he cut inside before stroking the ball past Javi Varas.

Having got the opener, however, Madrid's intensity seemed to drop and Sevilla should have at the very least been level midway through the half as Navas shot way off target after being found by a fine through-ball from Jose Antonio Reyes before Negredo was presented with an even better opportunity from another exquisite pass from Reyes, but his lob over Casillas landed on the roof of the net.

Madrid regained the initiative before the break and Ronaldo was inches away from his second of the afternoon as Xabi Alonso tapped an in-direct free-kick inside the area to the Portuguese and he smashed the ball off the inside of the post.

Negredo had another chance to bring Sevilla level three minutes into the second half as he turned Pepe, but again his final effort was poor as he shot straight into the grateful hands of Casillas.

And within sixty seconds the visitors found themselves further behind as Coke attempted to clear Di Maria's cross from the left, but instead only helped the ball into the path of Benzema and the Frenchman accepted the gift to fire in his 30th goal of the season.

Four minutes later he had his 31t as a typically quick break from Madrid saw Mesut Ozil feed Ramos on the right and his cross was met by a crashing header by Benzema.

Sevilla continued to press and probe, but lacked conviction as Madrid comfortably held on to claim a win which goes some way to putting the pain of Wednesday night firmly behind them.