Real Madrid 4-1 Sevilla: LaLiga 2017 match report as Ronaldo, Kroos and Nacho seal win

Follow the coverage match rescheduled of LaLiga Santander: Celta-Real Madrid

Real Madrid 4-1 Sevilla: match report

Real Madrid continued their drive to their first LaLiga title in five years with a relatively routine win over Sevilla at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday night.

Their first goal was shrouded in controversy though as Nacho struck from a quick free-kick that caught Sevilla napping. The referee was standing in front of Sevilla's efforts to build a wall but Nacho had the ball rippling the back of the net before they could react. Real Madrid celebrated as Sevilla protested to no avail. It was their 62nd game in a row scoring and that is good enough to equal Bayern Munich's record of goal scoring might.

They had a second 13 minutes later, on 23 minutes, when Ronaldo poked home after a James shot was saved and parried out to the Portuguese, which was his 400th goal in Real Madrid's colours.

Sevilla started to chip away at Real Madrid's defense but Stevan Jovetic had a number of chances that he failed to convert. The closest he came was when he chipped Keylor Navas only to see his strike rebound off the crossbar.

Sevilla started the second half in flying form and Stevan Jovetic had one pulled back upon four minutes of the resumption of the half. After some neat link-up play between N'Zonzi and Vitolo, the Inter Milan loanee slotted home from outside the box to give Sevilla a hope.

James and Morata were taken off as Zidane looked to regain control of the game and as the Colombian walked off he gave the Bernabeu a round of applause as what looked like it could be his last game at the stadium.

Real Madrid did manage to gain some control of the game but they were still failing to break down Sevilla and the visiting side the same. That changed after 78 minutes when Toni Kroos broke free and pulled it back to Ronaldo as he struck a dagger to Sevilla's heart and their hopes of gaining the point they needed to secure fourth place in LaLiga.

Those hopes were dashed even further when Toni Kroos slotted home after a Nacho pull back saw him free in the penalty area on 84 minutes to make the score 4-1.

The rest of the game passed by without incident as Real Madrid moved to within two games of sealing a LaLiga title that has been a half a decade in the making. Sevilla, on the other hand, will have to look for that point they need against already-relegated Osasuna on the final day of the season next week.

Real Madrid 4-1 Sevilla: second half

Min 90 + 2 | Ronaldo with a backheel and he wins a corner. he would have had a shot on goal but he ran out too far out to the right. Kroos with the short corner. Sevilla trying to see this one out.

Min 90 + 1 | Two minutes of added time but Sevilla's race is run here.

Sevilla substitution: Ben Yedder on in place of Krohn-Dehli.

Min 87 | Real Madrid are not done yet and they continue to trouble Sevilla's back line. Same source of torment too as Nacho pulls it back to Asensio this time. The Spanish attacker can't apply the same finish as Kroos did. Sergio Rico saves.

Min 85 | Sevilla failing to create anything up front now. 

Min 84 | GOAL! Kroos pokes home and that is the end of that. Slight bit of luck involved in that one as he seemed to mishit his strike but it tricks everyone and it rolls home. Nacho the architect.

Min 82 | Vazquez has an effort now but it was always rising and never troubled Sergio Rico.

Min 80 | Nacho and Correa booked. The defender was fouled by the Sevilla player and he reacted before Correa pushed him back. Two yellows seems fair.

Min 78 | GOAL!  What a move. Ronaldo finishes after a lovely move that saw Kroos break free and pull the ball back for the Real Madrid talisman. From an almost impossible angle, he manages to strike and end this one surely.

Min 74 | Kroos sends it in and Ramos gets a head to it. He wants a penalty as it hits Carrico's shoulder but he was never getting that. Sevilla survive another scare.

Min 72 | Ronaldo pulled down just inches outside the penalty area. Carrico very lucky not to be booked. 

Real Madrid substitution: Kovacic is replaced by Modric. Round of applause for the Croatian.

Min 70 | Correa fouled by Ramos. Modric is warming up and ready to enter the fray.

Min 69 | Vazquez tries to build an attack now. Krohn-Dehli slides in and puts it out for a corner.

Min 66 | Penalty shout for Real Madrid - a very tame one. Vazquez goes down as Carrico runs across him in the area. No foul, says the referee as he points for a goal-kick.

Min 64 | Real Madrid searching for that goal to kill off the game. They have failed to really create anything in the second half. Sevilla struggling of late too. Asensio pulled down by Carrico and Ronaldo steps up. Sergio Rico beats it away.

Min 62 | Very teling sign that James is off in the summer. He gives the Bernabeu a proper round of applause before he leaves the field. Makes sure to stop and take it all in.

Real Madrid substitution: James Rodriguez is replaced by Casmeiro. Morata is replaced by Lucas Vazquez.

Min 58 | Corner to Sevilla. Nearly makes its way to N'Zonzi but Real Madrid clear. Casemiro warming up for Real Madrid as Zidane looks to shut this one down. Vazquez warming up too.

Min 56 | Ronaldo links up with Asensio and his chipped pass finds Ramos at the back post but he can't take it under control. Sevilla attack and Morata is booked for a cynical foul as they look to counter. 

Min 54 | Another Sevilla attack comes to an end. N'Zonzi with a mis-placed pass to Vitolo. Sevilla looking far more lively in this half.

Min 53 | James in a decent position. He waits, and waits for a chance to hit it but it never comes. Sevilla survive another scare.

Min 51 | Danilo with another probing run but his pull-back to Morata is cleared by Carrico. 

Min 49 | GOAL! GOAL! GOAL! Jovetic strikes! He curls one past Keylor Navas. Neat combination between Vitolo and N'zonzi before jovetic gets it and he makes no mistake. He had a number of chances before that in easier positions. Navas dives in it's direction to no avail.

Min 47 | Ronaldo pulled down by Kranevitter. No free.

Min 46 | We are back underway at the Bernabeu!

Sevilla change: Sampaoli swaps Pareja for Walter Montoya at the break.

Real Madrid 2-0 Sevilla: first half talking points

Real Madrid have equalled Bayern Munich's 62-game scoring record with the strike from Nacho.

The main talking point is the first goal. Nacho struck the free-kick quickly and that has been a point of contention. After plenty of mulling over it, the general consensus at AS English's headquarters suggest Nacho was well within his rights to strike it. The referee was standing in front of Sevilla's wall, which might remain a talking point.

Sevilla's slow start saw them two goals down but they have been methodically chipping away ever since. Jovetic has had a number of chances but he has filed to convert. Sevilla have had seven efforts to Real Madrid's five and possession stats split almost down the middle 51% to Real Madrid.

Real Madrid 2-0 Sevilla: first half

Min 45 | Real Madrid just playing the half out. No time for any more. Not as much as a second of added time.

Min 44 | Asensio wins a throw and Sampaoli goes bananas on the sideline. Thought it was in favour of his side. He might have been chancing his arm there.

Min 42 | Ramos fouls Correa now. No yellow but the Real Madrid captain is unhappy with the decision.

Min 40 | From the freek-kick, it falls to Jovetic but he decides not to shoot and Sevilla lose out. It lands to him yet again and this time he has a shot and Navas saves. Corner to Sevilla that comes to nothing. Jovetic has had a few chances now! Unable to convert any of them.

Min 38 | Danilo booked now for a foul on Vitolo after he plays the ball. 

Min 37 | Kroos fouls Vitolo. Sevilla trying to figure out a way to trouble Real Madrid. They haven't managed to achieve it just yet.

Min 35 | Kovacic breaks but his pass to Asensio has too much on it and a promising attack breaks down.

Min 33 | Kroos tries a cross-field pass to Nacho but it's behind him and Sevilla have another chance to build an attack. Really not working out for them tonight despite the two efforts they had a few minutes ago.

Min 31 | Krohn-Dehli puts Correa through and he has the option to pull it back but he decides to go it alone. Navas saves. Just moments later and Jovetic has an effort. He chips it over Navas but it hits the crossbar. What a smart attempt! An inch lower and it was a goal.

Min 30 | James whips it in but it beats everyone and goes wide. Too much pace on it. Not entirely sure if that was a cross or a shot.

Min 29 | Krohn-Dehli slides in on Danilo and he takes the right-back down. Free to Real Madrid.

Min 28 | Jovetic with a really tame effort that Ronaldo headers away for a corner.

Min 26 | Free to Sevilla in a dangerous position as Kroos fouls Vitolo. Navas organising his wall.

Min 25 | Danilo on the right. He tries a pull back and Pareja gets it away.

Min 23 | GOAL! GOAL! GOAL! Ronaldo taps home. James has a strike and Rico saves but he plays it into the path of Ronaldo. All too easy for Real Madrid.

Min 22 | Jovetic makes a move into the box but Ramos outpaces him and Navas slides to collect.

Min 20 | Jovetic has an effort. Navas at full reach. the ball arrived from Mercado and Jovetic rattles the post.

Min 17 | Real Madrid win another corner. James tries a cross and Pareja blocks it this time. The Colombian swings it in and Varane is offside from Ramos' header towards him.

Min 15 | Ronaldo wins Real Madrid a corner. Kroos swings it in and Pareja gets it away before Asensio has a crack from outside the box. Floats way over!

Min 14 | Deflating for Sevilla. Real Madrid in control now again.

Min 11 | Some debate over that one! The referee was standing in front of Sevilla's wall and Nacho struck. Good thinking by the defender but Sergio Rico didn't even make an effort to save it!

Min 10 | GOAL! Nacho scores. He strikes it as Sevilla are setting up and he scores!

Min 9 | Kovacic with a cross not but Carrico gets it away. Free to Real Madrid in a dangerous position!

Min 7 | Vitolo with an effort now but Navas saves. Real Madrid counter and Morata has it but Rico makes himself big and gets a hand to it. Morata held on to long to have a shot. He was waiting for the perfect time to strike it but it never came.

Min 5 | Sevilla taking control of it now. But they have failed to properly created anything just yet. Ronaldo has an effort with a chilena but he is offside. Morata with the cross but the Portuguese was ruled to be offside. 

Min 3 | Tame start by both sides. Real Madrid with more possession but little of note happened just yet.  

Min 1 | We are underway at the Bernabeu.

Real Madrid vs Sevilla live stream online: line-ups

Real Madrid starting team

Navas, Nacho, Ramos, Varane, Danilo, Kroos, James, Kovacic, Asensio, Ronaldo, Morata.

Sevilla starting team

Real Madrid vs Sevilla live stream online: latest news

19:54 | We are just five minutes out as the team emerge from the tunnel! 

19:49 | James Rodriguez has been involved in more goals than any other midfielder in LaLiga this season. 23 goals in total - 11 goals and 12 assists.

19:42 | Sevilla have won two, drew two and lost one of their last five games. They were once considered title hopefuls but a blip in the middle of the season saw them drop off the pace.

19:28 | Barcelona are playing Las Palmas at the same time as Real Madrid face Sevilla and you can follow it live with our man Matt guiding you through the game! A draw or loss for Barcelona would put another nail in their LaLiga title hopes.

19:06 | Jovetic starts desite rumours that he is set to leave the club and Sampaoli has been forced into changing his back line. It looks like he will play Carrico, Mercado, Pareja and Lenglet at the back with Mariano and escudero out.

19:00 | It is James' sixth appearance in a row. He came off the bench against Barcelona and scored but aside from that he has started in all of Real Madrid's last six games, scoring five times aswell. He bagged a brace against Granada in the last game.

18:52 | Morata gets another start, as does James Rodriguez.  Marco Asensio plays too and Zidane has opted for a very attack-minded midfield to counter Sevilla. it is Morata's third start in a row. He has scored three in his last three games. 

18:49 | We have the team news for Real Madrid as Zidane continues his poilicy of rotation.

18:45 | Former Real Madrid player, Jese Rodriguez, is keen to score in order to ensure that los Blancos pick up the title. He says that he loves scoring and even moreso when is gives Real Madrid the title.

18:35 | Pepe is out injured tonight but reports suggest that he has already signed a deal to play with inter Milan for two years when he leaves real Madrid in the summer. Reports suggested that he was ready to jet off to China but he wanted a two-year deal, which is what the Italian club were willing to offer him.

18:29 | Sergio Ramos has scored in all of his last three games against Sevilla. He scored two proper, normal goals and one own goal in Sevilla's favour during their 2-1 loss to the andalusian side in January.

18:23 | Sevilla have accepted that they will lose Stevan Jovetic at the end of the season. The high-profile signing has failed to carve out a place for himself in the team and the club will need to cough up €14 million to sign him on a full-time basis.

18:19 | Sergio Ramos has been subject to Sevilla fans' ire recently and Dani Alves has spoken out about why he thinks that is. The Real Madrid captain responded and Sevilla fans who have travelled to the Bernabeu tonight will surely have a whistle or two for him.

18:12 | Real Madrid have scored in their last 47 league games which is their longest scoring run in the competition! They previously beat Barcelona's record of 44 games and they have drawn level with Bayern's 61 in all competitions.

15:00 | Sevilla are celebrating an anniversary today: it's three years to the day since they beat Benfica to win the 2014 Europa League, their third trophy triumph in the continent's second-tier club competition. 

14:40 | A reminder that Real Madrid will be without the rested Marcelo this evening, with Mariano Díaz and injured trio Pepe, Gareth Bale and Dani Carvajal also left out of Zinedine Zidane's squad.

14:10 | Real Madrid fans may be interested to hear that 16-year-old transfer target Vinicius Junior made his professional debut on Saturday, swapping shirts with a former Bernabéu star...

13:45 | What is the AS Oracle expecting to happen at the Bernabéu this evening, you ask? An interesting twist in the title race, that's what... 

13:05 | Incidentally, don't miss our guide on how and where to watch Real Madrid vs Sevilla (accompanied by our live feed, obviously).

12:40 | Ahead of what Zidane has called the first of "three 'finals' in the league", Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos has issued his customary Twitter rallying cry, going all D'Artagnan on us as he prepares to face his former club.

12:25 | Meanwhile, Sevilla's 18-man squad was named yesterday.

12:00 | Here's the full lowdown on the Real Madrid squad announcement, which has seen Zidane decide to rest Marcelo.

11:25 | Real Madrid's squad has been announced for tonight's game, with the headline news being Zinedine Zidane's decision to rest first-choice left-back Marcelo.

10:35 | Good morning! Join us for all the build-up ahead of Real Madrid vs Sevilla at the Bernabéu!

Real Madrid vs Sevilla live stream online: match preview

Zinedine Zidane's side are just three games away from a first league title in five seasons. As Jorge Sampaoli's time at Sevilla apparently draws to a close, he would love nothing more than to beat Real Madrid while improving his side's chances of sealing the fourth and final place in the Champions League for next season. Barcelona play at the same time as Real Madrid and any dropped points by Luis Enrique's side would as good as hand the league title to their rivals. The last time the two sides met in the league, Sevilla brought to an end Real Madrid's 40-game unbeaten streak.

Los Blancos can put their Champions League tilt to the back of their minds for the next week with three massive games against Sevilla, Celta Vigo and on the final day of the season against Malaga to ensure their season comes with one trophy at the very least.

Jorge Sampaoli could become the new Argentina manager at the end of the season and despite a very positive early start to the season, they have tailed off badly. They were knocked out of the Champions League by Leicester City in the quarter-finals and saw a run of five games without a win not only rule them out of the league title race but saw Atletico Madrid take their spot in third place in LaLiga. They have straightened themselves out to an extend but are still prone to a blunder here or there. They were beaten 4-2 by previously relegation-threatened Malaga two weeks ago and drew with Real Sociedad after that which means they need a point to ensure they finish fourth, at least with Sevilla nipping at their heels.

Nicola Pareja says, "We know it's difficult, but we're going to fight until the end. We understand the responsibility that comes with wearing this shirt and we're going to give it our all."

Real Madrid team news

Real Madrid's entire squad has been busy in recent weeks with Zidane's rotation ensuring everyone gets a crack and that should be no different against Sevilla. Ronaldo should be replaced to the league starting line-up having not played in an away game since the Athletic Bilbao game in the middle of March.

Gareth Bale remains out along with Dani Carvajal while Raphael Varane trained indoors when the team met on Friday for training. Aside from that, Zidane has a full complement and he is likely to switch it up given how productive his "B team" have been. They dismantled Granada last week and he might stick with the likes of James, Morata and Asensio as Bale, Isco and Benzema take a breather after their work during the week.

Sevilla team news

Real Madrid vs Sevilla live stream online: possible teams

Real Madrid:

Real Madrid XI: Navas, Danilo, Nacho, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Kroos, Casemiro, Modric, James, Benzema, Cristiano

Sevilla:

Sevilla XI: Rico, Mercado, Pareja, Lenglet, Diego González, N'Zonzi, Kranevitter, Vitolo, Correa, Franco Vázquez, Jovetic

Real Madrid vs Sevilla live stream online: betting odds

Little surprise that Sevilla are outsiders for this one but if you fancy a Sampaoli win, you can get almost €12 for one of yours. With two high-scoring teams facing each other and with neither capable of regularly keeping a clean sheet, the over 2.5 goals might be worth a punt at just over 2.5 to one. Meanwhile Alavaro Morata is nearly 5/1 to bag the first.

Bet on Real Madrid v Sevilla in LaLiga now.

Real Madrid vs Sevilla: live stream online build-up