Remiro rocks boat as Real drop points in title race
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MADRID: Real Sociedad goalkeeper Alex Remiro made a string of fine saves to frustrate Real Madrid in a goalless draw at Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday, leaving Barcelona five points clear at the top of La Liga.
After the Catalans beat Girona on Saturday Real needed to win to stay three points behind their rivals in the title race, but Remiro ensured otherwise, keeping third-placed Sociedad on the champions’ tail.
Vinicius Jr wasted two chances from close range, one in each half, with Remiro denying both. The keeper also made critical stops of efforts by Karim Benzema, Toni Kroos and Rodrygo.
“I’m happy with the point earned and with my personal effort,” Remiro told Movistar Plus. “Playing against these teams, they usually don’t forgive you but we also missed the chances we had, we were not effective in front of the goal. But happy with the draw.”
The draw continues a mixed start to 2023 for Real, slipping further behind Barcelona in the league and losing against them in the Spanish Super Cup final, but reaching the Copa del Rey semis on Thursday with an extra-time win over Atletico Madrid.
Real have 42 points and are three ahead of Sociedad, who have played one more game than the top two.
“It was one of the best games we’ve played this season,” Real coach Carlo Ancelotti told reporters. “It’s true Barca are doing very well, but the season is very long, January is very complicated, but the team have progressed a lot in all areas, in defence, attack, physically.
“The players are starting to improve, the injured players [will return], so we are confident for the coming months, we can get stuck into it in the second half of the season.”
Earlier Saul Niguez’s cool finish made the difference for Atletico as they held on to fourth place with a narrow 1-0 win at Osasuna.
Out of the Champions League and Copa del Rey, and 13 points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona, Champions League qualification is Atletico’s key goal in the second half of the season.
The Rojiblancos were left fuming after their quarter-final cup elimination in midweek, unhappy with the refereeing, but had nothing to complain about as they snatched victory at El Sadar.
Saul came off the bench to score in the 74th minute on a counter-attack when Rodrigo de Paul showed great vision to see his team mate ghosting in behind Osasuna’s defence and delivered a perfectly placed long ball through.
The 28-year-old midfielder showed good composure to sprint inside the box and rifle an unstoppable shot to the goalkeeper’s left.
Iago Aspas’s goal helped Celta Vigo earn a 1-0 win over Athletic Bilbao, while a 90th-minute strike by Canadian debutant Cyle Larin helped Real Valladolid beat Valencia 1-0, moving a point clear of the drop zone.
Published in Dawn, January 31st, 2023
