Real barely noticed the absence of their two forwards as they eased to a 3-0 win over Real Sociedad in their opening game thanks to goals by Bale and youngster Marco Asensio, although they then laboured to a 2-1 win over Celta Vigo.
Advertisement
That decision backfired as Barca failed to unlock Alaves’s mass ranks of defence before the break and went behind when Deyverson turned Kiko Femenia’s cross past Jasper Cillessen on his Barca debut.
The win maintained Madrid’s ideal record in the league as they moved two points clear at the top following Barcelona’s shock loss to Deportivo Alaves.
Ronaldo, who starred in Real Madrid’s 5-2 LaLiga win over Osasuna on Saturday, was incensed by Xavi’s comments this week about how the Portugal forward failed to match up to fellow multiple Ballon d’Or victor Lionel Messi.
Pepe headed in Real’s fourth (56) and Luka Modric scored the pick of the bunch with a curling 62nd-minute strike, before the visitors pulled two back through Oriol Riera and David Garcia.
A long ball for Gareth Bale left him and Ronaldo all alone to complete an easy breakaway.
The France forward also apologized for doubting his team.
Ronaldo has been sidelined since injuring his left knee in a collision with France’s Dimitri Payet during the Euro 2016 final on July 10. “This is the biggest club in the world and it should have the best players”, said the Portuguese.
“I am very good with free kicks also, so I have to make sure during training sessions, I practice how to take free-kicks to become ideal”.
“I feel fine physically”, Ronaldo said. “I want to say I am sorry for what I said (after the Leganes draw) because I shouldn’t have said it in public”.
Las Palmas was on the verge of maintaining its league lead until the clock struck 89 minutes at Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium.
Elsewhere, in-form Las Palmas is at Sevilla, while Villarreal visits Malaga.
However, Vitolo won a dubious penalty after a challenge from Pedro Bigas which Pablo Sarabia converted in the 89th minute and fellow substitute Carlos Fernandez bundled in the victor with the final kick of the game in the 94th minute.
With Bigas sent off for his second yellow card, Sevilla scored on the last kick of the match when Carlos Fernandez scrambled home a corner.
Advertisement
Zinedine Zidane is pleased with how Karim Benzema played behind Alvaro Morata in his first appearance of the season.
