Real Madrid came from behind to record a 4-1 victory over 10-man Athletic Bilbao at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday, and restore their five-point lead over Barcelona at the top of La Liga.

Fernando Llorente had given the visitors an early lead, but Marcelo restored parity with a fine goal, and two penalties from Cristiano Ronaldo plus a further strike from Jose Callejon added gloss to the scoreline.

With Barca collecting a confident 4-1 victory at Malaga earlier on Sunday, Madrid were searching for the win to regain the advantage on their rivals. Jose Mourinho made a number of changes to the side that lost in the Copa del Rey Clasico on Wednesday; Esteban Granero was handed a rare start, while Raphael Varane was given the nod in central defence due to the absence of Pepe.

The Basque visitors had, however, been in excellent form of late, and set about taking the game to the home side from the off. Indeed, it was no surprise when they took an early lead courtesy of Llorente.

A sweeping move saw Ander Herrera feed Javi Martinez, who had burst from his post in central defence to support the attack. His sublime cross from the right was met crisply on the volley by Llorente, leaving Iker Casillas with absolutely no chance.

The Bernabeu audience was not impressed, but Madrid continued to look subdued. Iker Muniain found space on the edge of the area, and his low effort could only be parried by Casillas into the path of Oscar De Marcos, but the wide player scuffed his close-range effort wide of the target.

Madrid then briefly came to life, long enough to level the scorelines. A neat set of exchanges between Marcelo and Ronaldo led to the Brazilian bursting into the area, and when faced with Gorka Iraizoz, he composed himself suitably to curl into the net from 12 yards.

But the inevitable comeback from the hosts failed to transpire in the first half, and Athletic should have gone in ahead at the break. Llorente, who had finished so confidently earlier, this time skewed his shot wide of goal when one on one with Casillas.

However, normal service was resumed just 25 seconds into the second period. A lovely dummy from Kaka allowed Ronaldo to return the ball to the Brazilian, and Ander Iturraspe was caught wrong side. He dragged Kaka to the ground, and Ronaldo lashed the resulting penalty into the top corner in emphatic fashion.

Athletic’s first half display was rendered irrelevant when Madrid sewed up the points on 66 minutes. Mesut Ozil burst through on goal, only to have his legs swept from under him by De Marcos. The referee gave the Athletic man his marching orders, and Ronaldo once again finished with aplomb from the spot to make the score 3-1.

Mourinho’s side were far from at their best for long spells of the match, but now with a man advantage and having beaten Bilbao 5-1 in their last two clashes at the Bernabeu, they set about attempting to record a similar scoreline.

Gonzalo Higuain replaced Karim Benzema, and immediately smashed a volley that Iraizoz did brilliantly to parry to safety. Then he found space on the left and drillled in a low shot that cannoned back off the post.

But the honour of the fourth goal would fall to substitute Callejon. A slide-rule through pass from Higuain sent the former Espanyol forward through, and he slipped his shot across Iraizoz and into the far corner.

There was to be no more scoring, and Madrid move five clear at the top of the table, while Bilbao’s bid for Champions League football next season has taken a dent.

As the Brazilian defender enters his fifth year in a white shirt, he confesses that he is happy and proud to be at the club and has evolved as a player at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Marcelo has spoken of his happiness with life at Real Madrid, describing his time at the club as a ‘dream’.

The 23-year-old arrived at Los Blancos from Fluminense in January 2007 and has been a regular member of the first team at the Santiago Bernabeu ever since.

Saturday’s La Liga match against Granada will mark Marcelo’s fifth year in a Madrid shirt, and the Brazilian is thrilled with how things have gone for him at the Spanish capital club.

“I have learned a lot here,” he told the club’s official website. “It has been a dream since the moment I first donned this shirt.

“Many players want to be on this team and I am proud to wear this shirt in every game and to make the fans happy.

“I have given my all since I arrived and I hope to give much more to help the team. I have been here five years and I wish to stay many more.

“It makes me immensely proud to wear Real Madrid’s shirt and to be the team’s third captain.”

The Brazil international, who has so far made 20 appearances in all competitions this season, has a contract with Madrid until 2015. (goal.com)

Many want to see in this title the end that justifies all means to achieve it, but it should only be viewed as the first impulse for the Madrid continue to grow. It should be just the first step of a long road trip. For the story will be the goal of Christian and the image of Mourinho celebrating their first title as coach of Real Madrid. It is time for celebration, not take its toll. Although the technician did not come here to make friends, to sing Loquillo.

In the first part of the match was ruled the Real Madrid in the tactical and the psychic. Decided where and how to play to get from point to Barcelona, ??which was uncomfortable and embarrassed as a few times. The referee was not free of hypertension with which he Madrid, whose players went en masse to protest each failure identified by Undiano Mallenco, who went to Valencia to lead a football game and at times found himself in a fight neighborhood. Impossible to govern such an encounter, with more tension that I play with more emotion than virtuosity.

The uproar Madrid final and created a scenario in which he reigned undisputed as he endured the physical. He returned to give the ball and Barcelona the lead but this time forward the pressure to the rival camp, forcing Barca defenders to start the game. For the first time in a long time was Guardiola’s men pulling off the ball over, hitting him instead of petting.

This change in Madrid was not a matter of players, but rather of tactical. Barcelona demonstrated that it can and should be defended above. That’s when they suffer, when has a hard to find your way. Xabi Alonso took the midfielder with Khedira and Pepe ahead. Up, Özil, Cristiano and Di Maria. A 4-3-3 defense that became a 4-5-1, with Christian as advance man.

Guardiola said central placing alongside Mascherano and Piqué, allowing Busquets to remain in their natural habitat in midfield with Iniesta and Xavi. Upstairs, Villa, Messi and Pedro, a pitchfork in the first half had only one point, Messi.

The Real Madrid midfield devoured the entire team of Barcelona, ??which was split in two, with their front totally disconnected from the rest of the team. The strategy of Madrid Messi forced to fall to the center of the field to attempt a heroic solo venture. There he met an impenetrable forest of competing successfully insurmountable. Pepe no more active than that before the break saw a yellow who could be both. As played by the expulsion of Arbeloa inexplicably, with a stamp at the wrong time at Villa. It was the largest gathering of almost always fully focused Arbeloa, too revolutionized.

Stress, emotion, the wired environment in which the crash unfolded also ate football. The level of play of the first half was mediocre and the football wasteland triumphant Madrid deserved. Had four clear chances for it and wasted three of them the worst player Cristiano Madrid, a liability for his team in too many stages of the match. So desperate was the Christian attitude to his coach that criticized him publicly. This censorship of what was his performance during much of the shock is not incompatible with the well deserved praise to the great goal he scored later. The fourth and most obvious opportunity of only the post prevented Madrid ended in a goal. It was a spectacular header from a pass from Özil Pepe and the plastic beauty of the goal deserved to be shot.

Going through the locker room brought another scenario, another scenario taste of Barcelona. Iniesta left side he paled in the first half and was associated with Xavi in ??the middle. This maneuver was activated and activated his team, who just needed five minutes to generate more football than in the entire first half.

Pressure disappeared so far ahead of Madrid, which was pushed back a few meters. The ball continued to Barcelona, ??but this time he drove in the area of ??Madrid and tried to move vertically rather than horizontally, as before. Alves appeared, which gave the ball eternal output on the right side on which it began to fall Messi, who no longer played only by the center. The problems will accumulate to Madrid and attacking options will be multiplied at Barça. Pedro and Villa, disappointing in the first half, decided to start playing the final.

Real Madrid ran out of air, lost the midfield and gave the game to Barcelona, ??who only had to pull style manual to send. Since the Madrid bench not provide any alternative, no solution to change the wrong direction he had taken his team. Adebayor’s entry by Özil not improve anything.

Chances began to Barcelona and accumulated the figure Casillas came to end all. Messi, Pedro and Iniesta were the victims. Previously, rightly Undiano disallow Peter for clear offside. The actions of the Madrid goalkeeper had a unique but valuable feedback in Barcelona. Pinto was showcased to a shot of Di Maria as the destination of the game seemed only an extension.

In extra time the ball continued to be of Barcelona, ??in Madrid crouching, running his small force to try to take your chances. And he came. Xabi Alonso found for the first time that Christian and partnership in which everyone seemed to himself was born near a goal. Firing the Portuguese lost gloves away from Pinto and the near post.

Not fail in the next. A great wall between Marcelo and Di Maria, which has more miles in their legs than a rider, finished with a header from Cristiano manual. A goal is worth a title. The self-esteem bolstered Madrid and Barcelona ran out of arguments. Neither Afellay and Keita, who finished with center forward Piqué, Busquets Villa and improved. There was room for the epic, as this image of Pinto going to finish.

It had been too many minutes that Barcelona was anxiety and mastery of the situation, as the title, of Madrid, where this time nobody will remember who finished with ten players for the expulsion of Di Maria. It is these statistics that one gets only when the wind is against, this time a gentle breeze caresses the excited and smiling face of Real Madrid.

Florentino came two minutes before the break and a cup less. One misfortune after another. Because the frog swallowed basketball and missed a first half of breaks and tears, with a Madrid irreducible, every nerve and heart, as its anthem. What you have seen and been told that Guardiola, who sees no enemy dead on or after the autopsy.

The party awoke to the shock of Casillas. Red was the fastest he has seen the Madrid League nearly eighty years. Baena went through two lines with his deep ball, Alley took the wrong foot with Pepe and Casillas played striker before the parakeet entered the area. No relajadísima saved or interpretation of customary law that Mateu Lahoz.

Di Maria Mou retired, turned right into Özil and drew two lines of four, with Adebayor, gazelle and giraffe crossing on the bow. And the game was a pretty crazy, with a bold and enlarged Madrid in their misfortune that eventually turned to Kameni in the figure of the party.

Khedira broke stove with an open mind. Xabi Alonso was above Javi Baena Marquez, a couple very glad to Cornell. Pepe is pretty much what Mourinho said when pressed to renew it. Cristiano was always a good response to the backlash and even offered as a dam when the truth came over Espanyol. Divo and antidepressants in the same match. And was at times Marcelo Di Stefano, Puskas and Gento. Advocate, creator and scorer, all at the speed of light. Sent a whiplash to the stick, took a lot to Kameni and ended up scoring the goal that decided the match. Is a minute of Roberto Carlos.
Intensity.

Accompanying them and the rest, Özil excluded (the game always sounded ‘allegro’ and that not doing) that more than a pillar seemed like a bad transplant so fierce contest, was feasting Madrid Espanyol from the intensity and rigor. Has merit, because the confluence at the same time and same place Pochettino, Cornell and the proper cultivation of the quarry have hardened much parrots, now a team always wanting to fight, never retreating, proud to get the most of this policy of ‘low cost’. And Alley, over quota for Madrid but terrific footballer, gigantic.

But before the break is that Madrid was a beast. Kameni examined, Khedira, Adebayor and twice Marcelo, who ended up knocking the Cameroonian by his club. These goals always leave the goalkeeper poorly and yesterday was no exception. Also swallowed a penalty Khedira Mateu Lahoz. After compensated by stating a non-existent offside when faced Adam Alley, which began and ended grown nervous.

Madrid rest became a cheaper and more tired. Oxygen tanks would have admitted at times. Especially when he began to Espanyol Callejón the loins, and hung a goal on three occasions. But it also had an answer. Cristiano accelerator was not available to the twelfth Pochettino defense in 23 games and Adebayor got caught in two side by side with Kameni. As he ran before he was forgiveness and repentance. There League. The suffer, but do not miss it.

Just a week before the Classic, and just two hours after the Real Madrid Barcelona órdago responds to another rout. There were eight, but five, but yes, in front was a great battle Athletic planted at the Bernabeu. However, the white set of punch shot to keep the lead and it did not fail at key moments. Already said in the previous Caparros: Real Madrid does not need to tiki-taca because tic-toc is enough … and it was. And what stuck on the other side! And two of the three goals he signed Ronaldo were the very best that has been in this league. The first, following a book, and second with one of her ‘tomahawk’ from 35 meters. Two flashes of many carats do justice to the level that showed both teams on the pitch during the first sixty minutes.

And this despite the fact that until a few minutes before the start of the match between Madrid and Athletic Bilbao in the environment merengue was still discussing the controversy of Gijón, the Classic and the rout of Barcelona, where Mourinho would be located, etc., etc. . Yes, twenty-two players soon regained prominence and focused all outbreaks. Not surprisingly, in the second minute, and Llorente was close to scoring with a brilliant idea to get between Khedira and Carvalho inside the area and that only Peter could not help almost under the line. And that was only the prelude to what came next. And is that white and certified rojiblancos first part of emotion, goals, and tension with a Athletic can boast of being one of the most serious of all teams who have gone so far by the Bernabeu, including Atletico Madrid.

With a midfield very well connected and binding short Xabi and Khedira, the rojiblancos Casillas came to the area fairly often and very biting, using a little soft defense of Madrid today. To the extent that if Susaeta and Llorente scored midway through the first part was because they had the best goalkeeper in front of the world and master of Madrid was not a lamb. Without that connection enabled in the center, the whites found in the counterattack and the lashes of Di Maria and Ronaldo dismast good resources for the Basque box. And as we said in the previous Caparrós with that and the famous tic-toc was enough to get ahead on the scoreboard 2-0.

Along Higuain scored the first twenty minutes after receiving a ball to Di Maria in the crown of the area and protect it like a small football pivot is involved. Ustaritz Amorebieta and failed to steal the ball and the Argentine scored and just before Iraizoz. And just ten minutes later and right on the play after the Madrid Casillas saved the white set back to score in what is sure to be one of the most beautiful goals in the league following a manual of these: Theft from field own band pass to Higuain, the second focuses on Ozil touch it moves through the center, Germany gave Ronaldo his first touch as a bullet entering and Portuguese brand from the balcony of the area practically alone. Only a framework could do much more beautiful meringue. Tic-toc.

Despite two goals, a serious Athletic did not give up at any time. I looked into the eyes of Madrid knowing that he was not being infinitely superior, and found his prize at the edge of the break thanks to an outstanding Llorente, who hammered in front of goal a play after a cross jumbled no bloco by Casillas. The 2-1 was just seen on the field, but today the white pasted never missed an appointment and shortly after the restart, Madrid away again with two new lashes. The first, Di Maria, who struck gold with a penalty of Susaeta absurd. Sergio Ramos (yes, Ramos) was the one who scored the third for five minutes after Ronaldo had sealed victory also meringue pieces. Now then, as from three times farther than the beds.

Iraizoz failed to clear a ‘tomahawk’ from 35 meters of the ’7 ‘merengue that slipped through the center of the goal with a violence worthy of study. Tick-tock, tick-tock, another goal to frame and three points in the bag without touching the excellence with the ball at his feet. Once with four on the back, and yes Athletic got carried away the last half hour, seeing that he could do nothing with the punch merengue. Of course, there was time for Javi Martinez slammed a ball off the crossbar, that had a goal disallowed for offside Barn by prior, and that little hand sign Ronaldo penalty. A week before the Classic, Ronaldo could not be less than Messi and this time did not let anyone throw it to certify a hat-trick which involved the icing to get it just right before leaving for Barcelona.