Real Madrid 3 - 2 Valencia: Cristiano Ronaldo at the double as Real Madrid down Valencia

Posted Monday, May 09, 2016 by PA

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Champions League finalists Real Madrid defeated Valencia 3-2 to prevent Barcelona from lifting the Primera Division title this weekend.

Atletico Madrid, who meet Real in the Champions League final later this month, were eliminated from the three-horse race for the domestic title in Spain, which will now be decided during the last round of fixtures after Zinedine Zidane's men and Barca both won.

A brace from Ronaldo, which took his tally for the season to 33 in the division, was sandwiched between a controversial Karim Benzema strike as a much-changed Madrid side maintained the one-point gap to leaders Barca.

Los Merengues conclude their campaign at Deportivo next weekend and they must hope Barcelona, who boast a better head-to-head record, drop points at Granada.

Real's two titles rivals were already 1-0 up by the time they had threatened, with Casemiro, one of a number of changes made by Zidane, firing wide.

Ronaldo squandered his first chance when one-on-one with Diego Alves having been sent through by Toni Kroos, yet the Portuguese would not miss when opportunity knocked again moments later.

Marcelo rolled the ball into the forward and he took two touches across Aymen Abdennour before rifling a right-footed attempt beyond the Los Che goalkeeper.

Sergio Ramos headed a James Rodriguez free-kick wide and the Colombian also set up Ronaldo, who was deceived by a bouncing ball and swiped at a good chance inside the box.

However, the hosts would enter the break 2-0 ahead through a goal from the recalled Benzema that infuriated Valencia.

The Frenchman was offside when he fired Ronaldo's cross at Alves but the flag did not go up then, nor was it raised when he swivelled and finished after the ball was poked back to him by Joao Cancelo.

As the ball came to Benzema from a Valencia player, it was correct not to rule him offside, though the visitors felt injustice anyway as the original chance came when he had strayed beyond the last defender.

Los Che fought back in the second period and Daniel Parejo, a former Real Madrid youth player, struck the crossbar with a 25-yard free-kick that was awarded with a rash hack from Casemiro which could have easily seen him dismissed.

Valencia did pull one back through Rodrigo's swept finish which came after Raphael Varane's clearance fell to the striker's feet and Marcelo was only able to help the ball on its way when attempting to head off the line.

Within four minutes Real had restored their two-goal cushion with another goal from Ronaldo. He smashed the ball beyond Alves' hand after the impressive Rodriguez had threaded a pass through Valencia's high backline.

It was not plain sailing for Real from there, though, and goalkeeper Kiko Casilla, in for Keylor Navas, made a string of impressive saves.

He denied Parejo with a one-handed tip around the post then Paco Alcacer and Rodrigo from point-blank range as Valencia poured on the pressure.

And Zidane's decision to take Ronaldo off for the departing Alvaro Arbeloa looked less wise when substitute Andre Gomes blasted beyond Casilla with nine minutes remaining.

However, after Rodrigo was mystifyingly dismissed with six minutes to go, seemingly for something he said away from the action, Real held on to move above Atleti and set up next weekend's pivotal final round of fixtures.