Benzema settles El Derbi to move Madrid clear
Real Madrid moved six points clear of Barcelona at the top of LaLiga as Karim Benzema's goal proved enough to claim a 1-0 victory over Atletico Madrid.
Both previous derbies between the sides this season — one in LaLiga and one in the Supercopa de Espana final — had finished 0-0 but Sunday's (AEDT) encounter finally bucked the trend.
Having held out somewhat in the first half, Madrid, which was buoyed by a double change from Zinedine Zidane at half-time, broke the deadlock through Benzema's first home goal against Atleti.
Substitute Vinicius Junior went close to capping a fine performance with a goal late on, but Madrid's failure to add another did not prove costly as it ended Atleti's six-match unbeaten run at Santiago Bernabeu.
Sergio Ramos scored the winning penalty in Los Blancos' shootout victory in the Supercopa final last month and Madrid's captain twice went close to opening the scoring in the first 10 minutes, but sliced over on both occasions.
Ramos had some defending to do in the 18th minute, reacting sharply to clear Madrid's lines after Thibaut Courtois had kept out Vitolo's strike.
Courtois was beaten soon after, yet Angel Correa's effort clipped the upright, before Casemiro was fortunate his desperate lunge on Alvaro Morata did not lead to a penalty.
Zidane rolled the dice at the break, introducing Vinicius and Lucas Vazquez in place of Toni Kroos and Isco, moving Federico Valverde inside and the decision almost paid immediate dividends as the midfielder forced Jan Oblak into a fine save with a superb long-range effort.
However, Zidane's changes did prove decisive in the 56th minute, Vinicius drawing three Atleti defenders in before releasing Ferland Mendy, whose cross was side-footed home by Benzema.
Oblak then denied Vinicius to keep Atleti in the game, although the visitors could not make it count as their dismal start to 2020 continued.
