Las Palmas 0-3 Real Madrid: Gareth Bale eases champions to victory

By Robert O'Connor

Sunday 1 April 2018 20:29, UK

Real Madrid brushed aside La Liga strugglers Las Palmas as two goals from Gareth Bale eased them to a 3-0 win ahead of Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final against Juventus.

Bale slotted home from Luka Modric's pass after 26 minutes to set Real on their way, before Karim Benzema scored a second from the spot before half-time.

Bale added another penalty after 51 minutes as Real strolled to victory despite Zinedine Zidane resting a clutch of first-team regulars.

The win leaves Real in third place, while Las Palmas remain cut adrift in 18th with relegation now looking likely.

In glorious sunshine at the Estadio Gran Canaria, Real were given an easy ride against La Liga's third-bottom side, as Zidane left out Cristiano Ronaldo, Toni Kroos, Sergio Ramos and Isco with Tuesday's game in Turin in mind.

Benzema had the game's first chance on 13 minutes when he was slipped in by Marco Asensio's clever through-ball but fired straight at Leandro Chichizola, and Asensio himself spurned an opportunity 12 minutes later when he shot wide at close range from Bale's square ball.

Las Palmas played a high defensive line and were caught out for the opening goal, Luka Modric collecting the ball deep in the Real half and finding Bale who tore away from Michel with electric speed and fired across the goalkeeper.

Figueroa Momo shot wide from 12 yards as the hosts briefly rallied, but it was Real who extended their lead on 39 minutes when striker Jonathan Calleri recklessly tripped Lucas in the box and Benzema, standing-in for Ronaldo, stroked the resulting penalty past Chichizola.

The game was ended as a contest five minutes after half-time when Ximo Navarro arrived late on Bale as he made contact with Benzema's pull-back, and the Welshman picked himself up to clip home the penalty.

Bale twice went close to completing his hat-trick in the second half with a place in Tuesday's starting line-up at stake, but the visitors were made to settle for three before heading for Turin.

Man of the match - Gareth Bale

Glided effortlessly around the pitch on a day when Real weren't at their best, but didn't need to be in order to dispatch struggling Las Palmas.

Clocked a speed of 30km/h as he raced on to Modric's through-ball for the opening goal and caught out the hosts' high defensive line again and again as he staked a place for a shirt in Turin.

What's next?

Las Palmas visit Levante next Sunday at 11am in La Liga, while Real now face Juventus away in the Champions League quarter-final first leg on Tuesday at 7.45pm.