Routine win keeps Real pressure on Barca
> Verstappen podium demotion stirs up a storm
REAL MADRID moved back to within five points of La Liga leaders Barcelona with a hassle free 3-0 victory over Eibar yesterday.
Madrid have struggled at the Santiago Bernabeu this season, dropping points in four of their previous six home games.
However, Eibar did most of the damage for them as Paulo Oliveira’s own goal and a goalkeeping mistake from Marko Dmitrovic to allow Marco Asensio’s shot through his grasp handed the European champions
MAX VERSTAPPEN accused Formula One stewards of killing the sport and suggested fans could stay away in protest after he was stripped of a podium place at the US Grand Prix yesterday. With Red Bull boss Christian Horner and past champions joining in the outcry, the 20-year-old Dutch driver vented his feelings. “The engine penalty is what it is,” said Verstappen, who started 16th after being demoted for power unit changes. “We had a great race but with those stupid decisions you kill the sport. I hope the fans do not like this decision and next year they do not come.” Verstappen had thrilled the crowd with a last lap overtaking move on Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen to take third place and was voted driver of the day by fans. He was then demoted to fourth, while waiting with race winner Lewis Hamilton and second-placed Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel in the prepodium room, for exceeding the track limits to gain an advantage. As the driver headed back a 2-0 half-time lead.
Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to pick up FIFA’s ‘The Best’ award in London for his goals in helping Real land a Champions League and La Liga double for the first time in 59 years earlier in the year.
Yet, the Portuguese’s off colour La Liga form this season continued as it was Asensio who shone as his partner up front with Karim Benzema rested.
“It is obviouly better when Cristiano scores, but I am not worried,” said Madrid boss down the stairs, team principal Horner let rip at what he saw as inconsistent behaviour by the stewards who had not punished others for similar offences during the race.
“It is an appalling decision. They have robbed all of the fans here. It was a great grand prix and they have screwed it up,” he said.
“We could pull out five or six different incidents today of cars going off track,” he said. “Where do you gain an advantage and not gain an advantage?”
It was the second time that Verstappen has been demoted from the podium by stewards post-race, with the youngster also missing out in Mexico last year for cutting a corner.
Verstappen’s father Jos was scathing of the decision on social media, with a series of comments on Twitter suggesting Ferrari favouritism.
“Shame on you FIA,” he said referring to the sport’s governing body. “Obviously F1 don’t know what racing is.”
Mercedes non-executive chairman Niki Lauda, himself a triple world champion, also agreed, even as his team celebrated their fourth successive constructors’ championship.
“This decision is the worst I’ve ever seen,” he told reporters. “He (Verstappen) did nothing wrong.
“These are racing drivers, we’re not on a normal road and it’s ridiculous to destroy the sport with this kind of decision,” added the Austrian.
“At the next strategy meeting we’ll bring it up the agenda and start all over again because we cannot do that, going too far and interfering. It was a normal overtaking.” – Reuters Zinedine Zidane.
“The season is very long and if he is top scorer in the Champions League then bit-by-bit (his form) will return in La Liga.”
Asensio teed up Isco inside two minutes only for Dmitrovic to parry the Spanish international’s tame effort.
The visitors also didn’t help themselves at the back either when Oliveira flicked a header into his own net from another Asensio delivery.
Asensio then scored his first goal in two months with a low strike from Isco’s cut-back that Dmitrovic should have stopped.
Victory moves Real back above city rivals Atletico Madrid into third after Los Rojiblancos ground out a 1-0 win at Celta Vigo earlier yesterday.
Villarreal’s revival under new coach Javier Calleja continued with a 4-0 thrashing of Las Palmas.
And Leganes sit fifth after Claudio Beauvue scored the only goal to beat off-form Athletic Bilbao 1-0. – AFP