Real Valladolid 0-2 Real Madrid summary: Benzema brace, goals & highlights | LaLiga 2022-23

Courtois keeps Valladolid out

The Madrid shot-stopper was superb on the night, denying Valladolid on a couple of occasions. 

Madrid win last game in 2022

Real Madrid end 2022 with a win and all three points thanks to Karim Benzema's late brace.

Real Madrid have run out 2-0 winners in their last game of the year!

And there's the whistle for full-time!

Camavinga goes on a surging run across the area. He finally turns back onto his left and strikes it low. Masip saves. 

Camavinga is fouled. This suits Madrid, who are on their way back to the top of the table.

Benzema scores again

He's back with a bang!

There will be eight minutes added on!

And that is that! Benzema has put the game to bed with his second of the night.

Double change

OFF Valverde
ON Tchouaméni

OFF Vinícius
ON Modric

Benzema's back

He may have missed the World Cup, but Benzema is back on the score-sheet..

Real Valladolid 0-1 Real Madrid

​​​​​​​Madrid have the lead!

Real Madrid have gone top of LaLiga!

Can Benzema score?

He was having a pop at the fourth official and has received his marching orders.

SERGIO LEÓN has been sent off for protesting!

Javi Sánchez handles the ball and now Madrid have a chance to win the game.

Real Madrid have a penalty!

It's going to VAR!

The corner comes in and there is a possible handball!

BENZEMA!

​​​​​​​He does really well to create a yard of space for himself before curling into the far corner.

Masip pushes it out for a corner!

Rüdiger gets the better of Sergio León and then the striker commits a foul.

Madrid are unable to create from the corner. Can Valladolid keep a clean sheet tonight? There are less than 20 minutes to go and either side could win this one.

Lucas plays in Rodrygo and the Brazil international wins a corner after his shot is deflected.

COURTOIS!

It's another super save by Courtois to keep Madrid in the game. He keeps out Sergio León's header with an extraordinary stop down to his left.

That's why Courtois is the best in the world. 0-0 

Valladolid have a corner. Aguado whips it in from the left. Courtois keeps it out as it looks to be curling in.

Sergio León, who has been quieter in the second half, finds himself in an offside position.

Benzema fails to play a pass to Rodrygo and take advantage of a counter-attack. 0-0

Madrid changes

And the confirmation of those Madrid changes.

​​​​​​​Lucas and Rodrygo have come in as Madrid look to break the deadlock.

Real Madrid are also set to make a couple of changes.

Valladolid changes

OFF

Sergio Escudero & Roque Mesa

ON 

Luis Pérez & Kike Pérez

Mendy gives it to Benzema - the French connection - but Benzema doesn't get the connection he needs, and it's another easy save for Masip. 0-0

Carvajal and Rüdiger work together to clear after Plata's run.

OFF Iván Sánchez

ON Plata

Valladolid are about to make a change.

What will Ancelotti change?

Rodrygo, Hazard, Modric and Camavinga are waiting for their chance from the bench. He has options.

Benzema picks out Asensio, who fires it at goal. It goes out for a corner.

Rudiger heads the resulting corner wide.

Pacheta will be delighted with his side's first-half display, but there is still a long way to go.

If Real Madrid win tonight, they will go top of LaLiga.

I have no half-time changes to report for you.

And we're underway for the second half!

Real Madrid have some strength on the bench, including Luka Modric if this remains 0-0.

The Santa hats are still on in Valladolid and the players are making their way back out for the second half. 

All-square at the break

Valladolid are having a right go and could be ahead at half-time. Courtois has had to help his team out on a couple of occasions. Benzema also had a great chance to give Madrid the lead.

HT: Valladolid 0-0 Real Madrid

It has been a lively first half but it remains goalless in Valladolid.

There will be one minute added on. This is not the World Cup...

Sergio León has worked so hard, up against Rudiger and Alaba. It's a tough shift for those lone strikers.

Asensio goes on a mazy run, cutting in from the right wing, but is forced across the box and eventually blazes over the bar. 

Escudero's shot is blocked in the box by Carvajal diving to the ground.

Madrid have had to deal with some serious Valladolid pressure in the last 10 minutes.  

COURTOIS!

The Belgian netminder saves brilliantly to keep out Aguado's effort from the edge of the area. It's curling into the far top corner.

And of course, Ronaldo Nazário, president of Valladolid and former Madrid player, is here tonight. The Brazilian legend is sitting alongside Madrid president Florentino Pérez. 

Valladolid have doubled up again on Vinícius and he can't get through them. It eventually falls back to Masip. 0-0

It's like a basketball match. Vinícius cuts inside from the left. He hits it low with his right. It's easy for Masip to collect. The home fans are being treated to a lively final contest of 2022.

Valladolid are making the most of this. Roque Mesa picks out Sergio León on the right. The 33-year-old shoots but it's from a hugely tight angle and Courtois gets down to save it. More shooting practice for Sergio León. The home side are in this game.

Valladolid go up the other end. Centre-back Javi Sánchez is in the box. He takes a touch, and then a second touch, and turns, but blasts over the bar. It remains 0-0.

Kroos is in acres of space, 25 yards from goal. He lets fly but can't keep the strike down. 

David Alaba wasn't playing in the initial XI that Madrid sent out this evening. 

"Real Madrid's starting eleven against Valladolid at the José Zorrilla has changed. Alaba replaces Militão, who is out at the last minute due to illness and will not leave the training hotel," the club then said in a statement.

Sergio León collides with Alaba. The striker is on the ground in quite a bit of pain from the blow. They are not nice, especially on cold nights.

Ivan Sánchez's shot goes wide from outside the area.

LaLiga table

Does anyone remember what the LaLiga table looks like?

This is it, as things stand.

Barcelona are top by a single point.

It remains 0-0 but Real Madrid have had the best couple of chances.

Vinicius shoots from the left. Masip pushes it out. It falls to Benzema, who blasts over from close range.

BENZEMA!

Kroos sends in the corner from the left. Masip is first to it and punches it away.

Madrid are enjoying the majority of the possession but have been unable to open the scoring against Pacheta's side.

Carlo Ancelotti is furious as referee José Munuera didn't take a look at a possible handball in the box. 0-0

It's a fine strike by Asensio from 20 yards but Masip is able to get a touch on it and push it away.

ASENSIO!

​​​​​​​Masip gets down to his right to save.

Roque Mesa makes a surging run on the left and crosses for Sergio León, who can't connect cleanly.

Sergio León is going to have a right battle on his hands with both Alaba and Rudiger looking after him.

Valladolid deal with the second cross and clear it. It ends up back with Courtois, who will be hoping to forget about his World Cup campaign.

Ceballos' cross is headed away. Madrid have a second corner. 

Vinícius does well on the left and wins a corner for Madrid. 

Dani Ceballos gets a rare start in Madrid's engine room tonight as Ancelotti decides to rest some of his World Cup players, including Luka Modric.

Sergio Leon finds himself in behind the Madrid defence and he is flagged for offside.

Valladolid are playing from left to right as we watch it. Madrid are playing in their black strip from right to left.

Real Madrid get us underway!

We will have a minute's silence for Pelé, who passed away on Thursday.

The players are on the pitch and we are almost set after 50 days off.

AS prediction: After the World Cup break I think Valladolid will be able to cope with Real Madrid in the opening stages of the game, but I see Madrid eventually winning.

Score prediction: Valladolid 0-2 Real Madrid

Kickoff is just 10 minutes away!

Ancelotti's management of Madrid's World Cup players

Carlo Ancelotti has rested Camavinga and Tchouaméni, who have had only one training session after their return. Modric, who finished third in the World Cup, is in the same boat.

The Brazilians lost in the quarter-finals, but only Vinicius is in the starting line-up. Militao is out and Rodrygo is on the bench.

Of the other World Cup players, Courtois, Carvajal, Rudiger, Valverde and Asensio are in the starting lineup. Hazard is on the bench. Benzema, having been recalled, has had time to recover and rest.

LALIGA SANTANDER

Real Madrid boss Ancelotti backs Benzema and Hazard to shine

Ahead of Los Blancos' game against Valladolid, manager Carlo Ancelotti said he was expecting all of Karim Benzema's pre-injury quality to come flooding back onto the pitch.

“We’ve got Benzema back and that’s good. He came back on 10 December, began working with the team, played 30 minutes and 45 minutes in friendlies and he’s been doing really well. He’s full of enthusiasm.

“He knows that he’s not had the best of starts to this season and now wants to show more in the second half. He’s going to show off all his quality in this stretch of the season. The schedule is going to demand a lot from us, with many games up until March.

“We’ll do individual evaluations of the players, which is vital. Three have returned today [Thursday] and can play tomorrow, but we will have to assess them all in detail. We will determine who needs rest and who needs to train. The only thing that is clear is that there will be no days off until March.”

Valladolid's bench tonight

Asenjo, Moreno, Rosa, Luis Pérez, Torres, Malsa, Kike Pérez, Kenedy, Plata, Narváez, Weissman and Guardiola.

Valladolid starting XI

Late change for Real Madrid!

David Alaba will start in the centre of defence alongside Antonio Rudiger. Eder Militao is no longer in the starting eleven as Madrid had previously reported, as he is unwell. 

Valladolid's final match of 2022

It's not just their last match of 2022, it's also Valladolid versus Real Madrid, and the home fans are out in their numbers for this one.

SOCCER

Karim Benzema’s second chance with Real Madrid in 2023

Despite the fact that a large part of the season has passed him by, including the World Cup, Karim Benzema faces 2023 with plenty of challenges ahead. 

The Real Madrid striker, who has barely featured in the first half of the LaLiga season, has six months ahead of him to show why he won the Ballon d’Or. 

Both Benzema and Real Madrid will be playing in five competitions in the first two months of the year. Between January and February they will be playing in LaLiga, the first rounds of the Copa del Rey (a title Madrid have not won since 2014), the Spanish Super Cup, where Los Blancos will defend the title, the Club World Cup (from 1 to 11 February) and the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 against Liverpool, in a tie that brings together the 2022 finalists.

Benzema is heading into the final six months of his contract with Los Blancos, although the club, player and his entourage know that an offer will be made to give him at least one more season at the Santiago Bernabéu.

Real Madrid arrive

Real Madrid have arrived at the José Zorrilla.

Real Valladolid starting XI

Here is your Real Valladolid starting XI for their home game against reigning LaLiga champions Real Madrid.

REAL MADRID

Brazilian wonderkid Endrick opens up on Real Madrid and Vinícius

Endrick, still only 16, knows that he still has a year and a half to go before he is presented at the Santiago Bernabéu and that he must continue to mature at Palmeiras. But it is impossible for him, when pressed, to hide the enthusiasm he has for his future at Madrid. “I think about it and I want to win many titles at Real Madrid”.

He was also asked about Brazilian compatriot Vinícius, and said: “When I was in Madrid, he invited me to spend a few days with him; we trained together and he gave me some advice. It was good to spend that time like that. I think it will be a friendship for many years to come”.

Players pay tribute to Pelé

Luka Modric was among the players who have paid tribute to the late, great Pelé, who passed away in Brazil on Thursday. 

Valladolid all set

Pacheta's team currently sit in 15th place in the LaLiga table with 17 points from their opening 14 games.

Almost ready in Valladolid

Real Madrid didn't have too far to travel for their first game since before the World Cup. It's good to be back, isn't it?

Real Madrid team news

Carlo Ancelotti has named his starting XI for Real Madrid's last game of the year and it's just how we expected it to be.

Real Valladolid vs Real Madrid: welcome!

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of this LaLiga fixture between Real Valladolid and Real Madrid.