Real Madrid some lost some ground in the LaLiga title race after being held to a goalless draw by Real Betis on Sunday night.
LaLiga
Result: Real Betis 0-0 Real Madrid
Date: 05 March 2023
Venue: Benito Villamarín Stadium
Madrid made four changes to the side that drew with Atletico Madrid the last time out in the league, as Eduardo Camavinga, Lucas Vazquez, Aurelien Tchouameni and Rodrygo, who joined Vinicius Junior and Karim Benzema upfront, were all recalled.
The game got off to a lively start and Los Blancos thought they were ahead on 13 minutes after Benzema scored from a free-kick that took a deflection and wrong-footed goalkeeper Claudio Bravo but the goal was disallowed for a handball in the build-up by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).
Carlo Ancelotti's charges were in complete control after that, as they pinned back Betis in their own half and Federico Valverde came close to breaking the deadlock just after the half-hour mark with a dipping strike from the edge of the box that sailed over the crossbar by inches.
However, the home side frustrated Madrid in the closing phase of the first stanza and reduced their dominance considerably and it was up to Los Blancos to find creative ways to break down their defence in the second stanza.
The sides had early chances from the break as Benzema was denied from close-range by Bravo and Borja Iglesias had a golden chance from a square pass in the box but goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made a block with his shoulder.
Los Blancos eventually made an attacking change just after the hour-mark as Dani Ceballos replaced Tchouameni and Ceballos almost broke the deadlock in the last 15 minutes with a low drive from the edge of the box that missed narrowly wide.
The game was on the edge in the dying minutes, with Betis looking dangerous on counter-attacks but in the end there were no clear opportunities, as the sides shared the spoils.
Los Blancos cut the deficit behind table-toppers Barca by just a point, to nine points in second place while Manuel Pellegrini's men remained in fifth spot on the log.
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