This archive report was first published on 11 July 2020.
July 10, 2020 - Real Madrid is on the cusp of claiming the La Liga title after a convincing 2-0 victory over Alaves at the Alfredo di Stefano Stadium on Friday.
With suspended captain Sergio Ramos watching from the stands, Karim Benzema took on the responsibility of leading the team and scored a crucial penalty in the 11th minute, his 23rd goal of the season.
Marco Asensio added a second goal for Real Madrid, tapping in a side-footed pass from Benzema, despite initial concerns that the Frenchman's run might have been offside.
Real Madrid's win has restored their four-point advantage at the top of the table, putting the pressure back on Barcelona, who must win away at Real Valladolid on Saturday to keep their title hopes alive.
Even if Barcelona manage to win, Real Madrid can still clinch the title with two games to spare by beating Granada on Monday at Los Carmenes.
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane remains cautious, however, saying, 'We still don't know what is going to happen. La Liga is very hard and we have three finals still to go.'
Defender Raphael Varane added, 'We have to stay focused.'
