Real Madrid punished the worst defense in La Liga on Thursday, beating Granada 4-1 to move back into second place and continue to apply pressure on first-place Atletico Madrid. Anything but a win would have put Atleti on the verge of the title, but Real were able to deliver with two goals in each half, as four different players scored.
Luka Modric opened the scoring in the 17th minute, and Rodrygo's goal in the first minute of added time in the opening half gave the defending La Liga champs some breathing room. Alvaro Odriozola and Karim Benzema also scored under the lights at Estadio Los Carmenes.
🥄 LUKA MODRIC with a "smoother than the back of a spoon" finish to bring Real Madrid within two points of the LaLiga summit! #GranadaRealMadrid on beIN SPORTS pic.twitter.com/lz2G16WMLY
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) May 13, 2021
Real Madrid had 16 shots, two-thirds of the possession and recorded over 300 more passes than Granada. While Granda got some decent looks on frame and cut the lead in half in the 71st minute thanks to Jorge Molina, Real still managed to get the job done as the hosts went in search of the equalizer.
The victory now sets up an exciting Sunday with the next-to-last games taking place. Real go to Athletic Bilbao, while Atletico Madrid host Osasuna. Barcelona, in third place and with slim chances of winning the league, host Celta Vigo.
If Atletico Madrid win out, they win the title. Here's a look at the top four in La Liga after Thursday:
| Team | Games played | Points |
|---|---|---|
1. Atletico Madrid | 36 | 80 |
2. Real Madrid | 36 | 78 |
3. Barcelona | 36 | 76 |
4. Sevilla | 36 | 74 |
