Real Madrid 4-1 Real Sociedad: Los Blancos move top in LaLiga as Alexander-Arnold assists on injury return | OneFootball

Real Madrid cruised to a comfortable 4-1 win against Real Sociedad, claiming top spot in LaLiga as Trent Alexander-Arnold marked his full return from injury with an assist.

The Englishman’s pinpoint cross was tucked home by Gonzalo Garcia inside the opening five minutes, though the visitors restored parity from the penalty spot after a mistimed Dean Huijsen challenge on Yangel Herrera.

But Álvaro Arbeloa’s men fought back well and raced back into the lead when Vinicius Jr despatched a low effort from 12 yards after being fouled by Jon Aramburu, and a thunderous effort from Federico Valverde doubled los Blancos‘ lead before the break.

Vinicius Jr completed his brace in remarkably similar circumstances just minutes into the second half, slotting home after another Aramburu foul inside the penalty area to send Real Madrid top of LaLiga ahead of Barcelona’s trip to face Girona on Monday.

Defeat in the Spanish capital brought an end to the txuri-urdin‘s seven-game unbeaten run under Pellegrino Matarazzo.

As it happened

Knowing that they could move ahead of Barcelona with a victory, albeit only temporarily ahead of the blaugrana‘s match on Monday, Real Madrid wasted no time committing bodies forward at the Santiago Bernabéu on Saturday evening.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, making his first start after a two-month absence through injury, delivered a pinpoint cross for Gonzalo García to roll home with the deftest of touches after five minutes.

But Real Sociedad, eager to prolong a seven-game unbeaten streak of their own, dragged themselves level from the penalty spot when Dean Huijsen mistimed a challenge on Yangel Herrera and afforded Mikel Oyarzabal a chance to restore parity, which he did with an emphatic finish down the middle.

It was to be the first of three penalties in an enthralling match in the Spanish capital, with Vinicius Jr able to rediscover Real Madrid’s lead four minutes later from the spot after he was caught by the outstretched leg of Jon Aramburu inside the box.

Eager to build a cushion before the break, Federico Valverde capitalised on a sustained period of pressure in the final third, rippling the back of the net with a fierce strike from the edge of the box to extend his side’s lead to two goals.

García squandered a fantastic chance to bag his second of the evening in the dying minutes of the first half, blasting high and wide from just yards out after a well-placed ball from Valverde – but Real Madrid were not made to wait long for their fourth goal of the night.

In what was almost a carbon copy of Aramburu’s first-half foul on Vinicius Jr, the Brazilian was caught once again inside the box and permitted to thrash another low strike past Álex Remiro to further extend los Blancos‘ lead at the Bernabéu.

But Real Sociedad were not content with the idea of becoming dead and buried with almost an entire half left to play, and the visitors came close to reducing the deficit through Jon Martín, although the defender could only steer his header into the grateful hands of Thibaut Courtois.

Carlos Soler had a fantastic chance too, pouncing on Dani Carvajal’s sloppy pass towards his goalkeeper, yet the lively midfielder saw his strike blocked by the Belgian.

Real Madrid, knowing that goal difference may well prove decisive in such a close LaLiga title fight, continued to flood bodies forward in the latter stages of Saturday’s clash and could have found their fifth through Garcia, had it not been for a well-timed goal-line clearance from Martín.

Vinicius Jr thought he had nodded home the elusive fifth inside the dying moments after a teasing free-kick delivery, but the Brazilian forward was denied his hat-trick by the assistant referee’s flag, with the decision confirmed by VAR.

A 4-1 victory over Real Sociedad sees Real Madrid move above Barcelona to claim the top spot in LaLiga ahead of the blaugrana‘s trip to face Girona on Monday, while the txuri-urdin remain eighth.

Analysis: Real Madrid put pressure on Barça in thrilling title fight

Álvaro Arbeloa has been something of a revelation since taking the reins at the Santiago Bernabéu last month, guiding los Blancos to victory in each of the five LaLiga matches he has overseen.

That in itself is quite an achievement, given that the first match he presided over was that horrendous Copa del Rey exit at the hands of second-tier Albacete, which came just days after Xabi Alonso’s eight-month tenure came to a close with defeat to Barça in the Supercopa.

Since then, Real Madrid have managed to overturn a four-point deficit and for the first time this season, put the pressure on their longstanding Catalan rivals.

If they wish to return to the top of the table by the end of Matchday 24, Barcelona have no room for error. They must claim all three points at the Estadi Montilivi; else they will concede pole position to los Blancos.

Now, with 14 matches of the league season left to play, that wouldn’t necessarily be catastrophic. Factor in that Barça were humbled in midweek by Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey – regarded by some as the worst day of Hansi Flick’s tenure – and the fact that they still have to meet los Blancos in LaLiga before the season concludes, and the narrative changes.

Monday, thanks to Real Madrid, now becomes a test of Barcelona’s mentality and could prove crucial to how the remainder of the season plays out.