Morata puts Real on top
Real Madrid took advantage of Atletico Madrid’s first loss of the season at Sevilla to move to the top of La Liga as Alvaro Morata struck a late winner to secure a 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.
Sevilla’s Steven N’Zonzi struck the winner 17 minutes from time to seal his club’s 1-0 win at a soggy Sanchez Pizjuan.
Real now leads Sevilla by a point and Barcelona and Villarreal by two.
Atletico, which started the weekend in top spot, slipped to fifth, three points back of its city rival.
“We are not going to have easy matches and we will have to fight until the end,” said Real boss Zinedine Zidane.
“That is the message I transmit to my players and today we believed and didn’t give up in the difficult moments.”
Madrid couldn’t have hoped for a better start when Enric Saborit’s slip allowed Isco to tee up Karim Benzema for a simple finish after just seven minutes.
However, Real’s defensive deficiencies surfaced once more when Athletic leveled in scrappy fashion as Javier Eraso’s tenacity won the ball inside the Madrid box for Merino to slot home.
Cristiano Ronaldo endured another off night and was even jeered by the Bernabeu crowd when he shot straight at Gorka Iraizoz with Isco and Benzema begging for a cutback for a tap-in.
Real was handed a lifeline when Inaki Williams blazed over with just Keylor Navas to beat two minutes into the second half.
Zidane turned to Morata off the bench 15 minutes from time, and the Spanish international ensured Real didn’t drop points at home for a third consecutive La Liga game when he blasted home Gareth Bale’s low cross at the near post.
Athletic still had a chance to snatch a point, but once again Williams misfired after breaking through for a clear attempt.
Real should have had a third with the last action of the match when Ronaldo selfishly tried to score and was again denied by Iraizoz with Toni Kroos wide open for a pass.
Villarreal remains just two points off the top in fourth place, thanks to Cedric Bakambu’s injury time winner against Las Palmas.
Kevin-Prince Boateng’s stunning volleyed effort fired the visitors into a halftime lead, but Nicola Sansone leveled from the penalty spot before Bakambu snatched the points in the closing moments.