Real Madrid survived a late scare to hold on for a 2-1 win against Sevilla in La Liga on Wednesday – their eighth in succession at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Alvaro Arbeloa and Sami Khedira – both linked with moves away at the end of the season – were given rare chances to impress, replacing Dani Carvajal and Asier Illarramendi respectively. Elsewhere, Gareth Bale remained alongside Karim Benzema in attack.
Sevilla, meanwhile, made four changes from the side which beat Espanyol 3-2 in the Copa del Rey last week, with usual suspects Grzegorz Krychowiak, Stephane Mbia, Carlos Bacca and Gerard Deulofeu all returning.
Inside just 12 minutes, Madrid made amends for their recent poor starts to matches, albeit in slightly fortunate circumstances, as James profited from the Andalucians’ failure to take stock of the situation, sneaking in at the back post to head home his side’s first goal.
The Spanish pace-setters then added to their lead towards the end of the first half, Jese – a substitute for the Colombian forward, who hobbled off with a suspected foot injury, burying Karim Benzema’s low cross after Carlos Bacca inexplicably lost the ball.
Three players were forced off before the restart, with Sergio Ramos and Beto, who left the field of play for the third time this season and required the assistance of both Red Cross medics and a stretcher, joining James in making premature exits.
However, it could have all been so different if Vitolo and Vicente Iborra took the gilt-edged chances which fell to them, although Madrid should have extended their lead through Benzema’s close-range effort just before the break.
The restart proved more of the same, with Madrid finding plenty of joy down the left-hand side. Marcelo whipped numerous deliveries into the box, but none of his teammates were able to read the Brazilian’s brilliance.
Their profligacy threatened to cost them near the death when Iago Aspas, Sevilla’s match-winner against Espanyol, capitalised on Vitolo’s good work to reach the left-hand byline, but the hosts held on for vital impetus ahead of the weekend’s Madrid derby.
Real Madrid 2-1 Sevilla
James 12, Jese 36 (R), Aspas 80 (S)
Real Madrid: Casillas; Arbeloa, Ramos (Nacho 9), Varane, Marcelo; James (Jese 27), Kroos, Khedira, Isco (Illarramendi 90); Benzema, Bale
Sevilla: Beto (Rico 35); Figueiras, Carrico, Kolo, Navarro; Krychowiak, Iborra, Mbia; Deulofeu (Vidal 54), Bacca (Aspas 67), Vitolo
Referee: Iglesias Villanueva
