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European roundup: Real Madrid one win away from La Liga title after beating Granada

European roundup: Real Madrid one win away from La Liga title after beating Granada
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Madrid withstood a fightback from Granada.

Real Madrid moved to within one win of a record-extending 34th LaLiga title after first-half goals from Ferland Mendy and Karim Benzema sealed a 2-1 win at Granada.

The Spanish giants looked to be in cruise control when Mendy burst into the area and rifled beyond Rui Silva from an acute angle on the left after 10 minutes before Benzema struck just after a quarter of an hour.

Isco’s clever back heel to Luka Modric led to Benzema being found in acres of space on the left and the Frenchman cut on to his right foot and powered a shot into the top corner at the Nuevo Estadio de Los Carmenes.

However, Casemiro was sloppily dispossessed on halfway, allowing Granada to break, with Darwin Machis halving the deficit after nut-megging Thibaut Courtois five minutes after half-time.

The goal breathed fresh life into the hosts, who were denied a leveller by some last-ditch defending as Sergio Ramos cleared off the line to keep out Ramon Azeez after Courtois had saved excellently from Antonio Puertas.

With just two games left in the season, Real are four points ahead of bitter rivals Barcelona and Zinedine Zidane’s side will seal a first top-flight crown in three years if they overcome Villarreal on Thursday.

Villarreal saw their slim hopes of a top-four spot evaporate after losing 2-1 at home to Real Sociedad, who are now level on points with sixth-placed Getafe and just three behind the Yellow Submarine.

Willian Jose’s effort just after the hour mark was followed by Diego Llorente’s goal with 15 minutes left and, although Santi Cazorla pulled one back in the closing stages, it proved a mere consolation.

Alaves ended a run of six successive defeats with a goalless draw against Getafe to move four points clear of the bottom three.

Elsewhere, Inter Milan moved back up to second in Serie A after coming from behind to beat Torino 3-1 thanks to three goals in the space of 13 minutes.

Andrea Belotti gave the visitors a surprise lead just after the 15-minute mark at the San Siro, but Ashley Young levelled moments after the restart before Diego Godin struck in the 51st minute.

Lautaro Martinez doubled Inter’s lead in the 61st minute as they went above Lazio in the standings.

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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Barcelona12110140112933
2Real Madrid1173121111024
3Atletico MadridAtletico126511871123
4Villarreal116322019121
5Osasuna126331716121
6Athletic Bilbao125431812619
7Real BetisBetis125431210219
8Mallorca12534109118
9Rayo Vallecano114431210216
10Celta Vigo125161820-216
11Real Sociedad124351010015
12GironaGirona124351517-215
13Sevilla124351217-515
14AlavesAlaves124171419-513
15Leganes122551216-411
16Getafe12174810-210
17Espanyol123181122-1110
18Las PalmasLas Palmas122371321-89
19Real ValladolidValladolid12228924-158
20Valencia11146817-97


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