Staff Reporter.
Real Madrid remain alive in the La Liga title race after Karim Benzema struck an 88th minute equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Atletico Madrid on Sunday.
Defeat would have left Real eight points off their rivals with 13 games remaining but Benzema buried a late strike to salvage a draw and keep the deficit to five points.
Luis Suarez struck for the home side in the first half and Diego Simeone’s men looked set to take a giant stride towards winning their first title since 2014, but Zinedine Zidane’s men had other ideas.
Suarez opened the scoring after 15 minutes in a crucial clash at the Wanda Metropolitano, with a fine effort using the outside of his boot, following good work from Marcos Llorente. The goal ended a five-game goal drought and marked Suarez’s 498th for club and country in his career.
Zidane’s side went into the match five points behind Atletico, who also have a game in hand, and the Madrid coach said the title race would not be decided by events on Sunday.
Real Madrid, second best for most of the first 45 minutes, called for a penalty late in the first half after Felipe appeared to handle in the area but following a VAR review, nothing was given.
“As always, I won’t get into it,” Zidane said of the appeal for handball and VAR ruling. “It’s a difficult job. The referee looked at it and made a decision, we have to respect the decision and that’s all.
“We know it’s difficult. We know the rules, but it’s the referee’s decision. We have to respect that. It won’t change. The players said it was handball, but the referee looked at it with VAR and decided not to give it.”
Barcelona are three points behind Atletico Madrid following Sunday’s derby, and Simeone’s side have a game in hand on them.