Real Madrid 3-1 Eibar - Match Report
Real return to La Liga action with a comfortable win over Eibar
Real Madrid Vs Eibar - LIVE MATCH STREAM
Match Report
Real Madrid made a winning return to LaLiga action as they beat Eibar 3-1 in the Spanish capital on Sunday.
Toni Kroos, Sergio Ramos and Marcelo eased Madrid into a comfortable half-time lead, with the visitors' second-half improvement yielding nothing but a Pedro Bigas consolation.
With Barcelona having won 4-0 at Real Mallorca a day earlier, the pressure was on Los Blancos to follow suit and close the gap at the top of the table back to two points.
Madrid's home games are being held at the Castilla's Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium while the Santiago Bernabeu undergoes renovation work, but the change in venue made little difference as the home side marked Zinedine Zidane's 200th game in charge in winning fashion.
Kroos broke the deadlock in the fourth minute with a sublime first-time strike from just inside the box that looped beyond goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic.
Eibar responded well but were 2-0 down after half an hour. Ramos stepped out to intercept a pass and spark a swift counter-attacking move that ended with the Madrid captain tapping in an unselfish square ball from the impressive Eden Hazard, who was back in the line-up for the first time since February after recovering from an ankle fracture.
A crisp strike from Marcelo into the bottom-right corner after more good interplay between Hazard and Karim Benzema made it 3-0 before the break, the Brazil left-back taking a knee after drilling home his first league goal of the season.
Thibaut Courtois saved superbly from Edu Exposito and Sergi Enrich hit the bar with a header, before Pablo De Blasis' shot deflected off Bigas and bobbled beyond Courtois to give Eibar a lifeline.
It was a largely pedestrian second half from Madrid, with Hazard and Ramos taken off and Marcelo struggling with a knock, but Eibar could not mount a comeback.
Live Video!
Three minutes in, Real Madrid score! Toni Kroos picks his spot and finds the top corner!
Real Madrid return to La Liga action!
Live Updates
Preamble
Different surroundings for Real Madrid this evening? Will Los Blancos be able to cope in the smaller stadium?
Eibar team news! Kike leads the line in a 4-2-3-1 formation! Serbian keeper Marko Dmitrović could be in for a busy evening!
Eibar are on their way!
Team news is in for Real Madrid! Eden Hazard starts in attack! It's a familiar midfield trio of Modric, Casemiro and Kroos! Gareth Bale makes the bench!
So here we go! Real Madrid back in action! It won't be in the Santiago Bernabeu though...
Good evening! Welcome to the Live stream of Real Madrid Vs Eibar! Los Blancos mark their return to La Liga action, at the Alfredo Di Stefano stadium! Join me for build-up, team news and live video from the game.