Real Madrid have overthrown Espanyol, put pressure on Barcelona and have already put their heads in the Champions League

A procedure with a predictable epilogue, although not without an initial surprise, ended up being the meeting that Real Madrid beat Espanyol 3-1 this Saturday at the Santiago Bernabéu in a match corresponding to the 25th date of the Spanish league. Thus, the set led by Charles Ancelotti He will arrive on time for next Wednesday’s match against Liverpool in which he will try to certify the passage to the Champions League quarter-finals.

History foretold such an outcome as eventually occurred. The Catalan cast arrived at the Bernabéu with a disastrous record: in the fiefdom of Meringue He had picked up his last win in April 1996, hadn’t saved a point since December 2012 and hadn’t scored a goal since May 2014 (he had gone scoreless in his last seven visits).

At least the last streak was broken this Saturday when just eight minutes had been played: Rubén Sánchez hit the back of Frenchman Eduardo Camavinga (who was once again showing problems in his makeshift left-back role) and it took a good pass for Joselu to get through the visit. It is the striker’s 12th goal in this league season (just three distances behind the tournament’s top scorer, Poland’s Robert Lewandowski) and his seventh in nine games against Real Madrid.

However, and despite not having their marker, Karim Benzema (absent due to an injury to his right ankle), it was not difficult for him to return to the club against an opponent who, having the advantage, withdrew to the extreme and engaged in a short-lived heroic resistance. First The Brazilian Vinicius Juniorwith a quality finish, and then his compatriot Éder Militão, with a header and after a luxurious cross from Aurélien Tchouaméni, turned the score around before the break.

Apart from a few small shocks caused by a team that is starting to look with concern at the bottom of the table (it is only two points above the relegation places), Madrid controlled the match, settling it in the extra time period with a goal from Marco Asensio (he came on for the Croatian Luka Modric) and so he bagged a victory that leaves him, at least for a few hours, six points behind leader Barcelonawho will visit Athletic Club Bilbao in San Mamés on Sunday.

After this victory, Ancelotti’s team will play two very important matches in the next eight days. He will receive Liverpool at the Bernabéu on Wednesday in a key rematch for the round of 16 of the Champions League which is very well on its way following his 5-2 win at Anfield. And next Sunday they will visit Barcelona at the Camp Nou in a duel in which a good part of their chances of continuing to aim for the championship will be at stake.