Benzema, middle with Real Madrid team mates on Friday night

Real Madrid moved closer to winning the La Liga title after a 2-0 beating of Deportivo Alaves on Friday night.

A Karim Benzema penalty and Marco Asensio goal saw Madrid moving four points clear of rivals Barcelona with three games left.

Madrid were awarded a spot-kick for the third straight game, while the VAR was needed after Asensio’s goal was initially incorrectly ruled out for an offside decision against Benzema.

Defender Raphael Varane, who helped Madrid keep a clean sheet for the fifth straight game, was unfazed by talks that VAR decisions were going his team’s way.


“Outside noise doesn’t matter to us. We are focused on winning and giving everything on the pitch,” the defender told Movistar.

“We don’t control the VAR, we control the effort and attitude we show on the pitch.”

Madrid last won the title during the first Zinedine Zidane era in 2016-17.

Barcelona clinched the past two crowns.

Madrid next three matches are against Granada, Villarreal and Leganes.

“We are focused on our objective and we have three finals left,” Varane said.

“It was important to win, of course, but it is very important to keep a clean sheet. That gives us a lot of confidence,” Varane added.

Coach Zidane said he was happy with his team, who are away to Granada on Monday.

“I’m not worried because the important thing is to win matches,” he said.

“We didn’t score four or five goals, but because there is an opponent who defends. We scored two goals, one very beautiful in play.

“I am happy and calm with what we are doing.”