Real Madrid win without Ronaldo

A REVIEW of the weekend’s action so far in Spain’s Primera Division as Real Madrid thrash David Moyes’ Real Sociedad.A brace from striker Aritz Aduriz saw Athletic Bilbao record a first Primera Division victory in over two months at the expense of bottom club Levante.

      The Copa del Rey quarter-finalists were without a league win since taking all three points at Getafe on November 29 but Aduriz’s double in a 2-0 win moves Ernesto Valverde’s side away from the relegation zone ahead of next weekend’s clash with Barcelona.Levante remain rooted to the foot of the table with their own winless streak in the league now stretching back to November 23, with four defeats from their last five league outings.

     Real Madrid proved they can win without Cristiano Ronaldo as they overpowered David Moyes’ Real Sociedad to win 4-1 at the Bernabeu last Saturday .With their top scorer suspended after getting sent off at Cordoba last week, Madrid looked like they barely missed the prolific Portuguese, even though they fell behind after just 40 seconds to Aritz Elustondo’s header.

    But James Rodriguez levelled for Madrid moments later and then Sergio Ramos scored before the break, with Karim Benzema striking twice in the second half to ensure Carlo Ancelotti’s side stay top for another week.

Moyes, meanwhile, suffered a third defeat as La Real coach, and is still yet to win a game on the road with the Basques.Third-placed Atletico Madrid overcame a drenched playing surface to scrap their way to a 3-1 win at Eibar.

   Antoine Griezmann put the visitors ahead after just seven minutes and then two quick-fire goals from Mario Mandzukic midway through the first half put the game beyond the reach of Eibar.The hosts managed to grab a late consolation goal through Federico Piovaccari.

      Celta Vigo ended their 10-game winless run in La Liga with a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Cordoba on Saturday night.Celta had not enjoyed league success since they shocked Barcelona at the Nou Camp on November 1, and their three-month barren spell has seen them slide from European contenders to mid-table also-rans.

      Ninety-one days had passed since Joaquin Larrivey’s second-half goal beat Luis Enrique’s Barca, but this time the Argentinian’s forward partner Nolito was Celta’s match-winner with a superb second-half strike.Granada moved out of the relegation zone after edging out 10-man Elche 1-0 at Los Carmenes for their first league win in over four months.Abel Resino’s men were rooted to the foot of the standings, having not won in the league since September 20, but Jhon Cordoba’s 56th-minute strike lifted them above their beaten opponents.

        Elche’s miserable night was compounded when Damian Suarez was dismissed after picking up his second booking of the night.

Celso Borges fired home a 70th minute penalty as Deportivo La Coruna ended a run of three games without a win with a 2-1 victory at Rayo Vallecano.Borges hit a rising spot-kick past home goalkeeper Antonio Tono after Abdoulaye Ba was booked for a foul on Sidnei in the box.

     Borges had opened the scoring for the visitors in the 10th minute when he forced home a shot from six yards but the hosts equalised 11 minutes later when Alberto Bueno fired home.