Karim Benzema helps Real Madrid end year on a high

Real’s Karim Benzema is ecstatic after his goal v Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday. Pic/Getty Images

Karim Benzema scored the goals in Real Madrid's 2-1 win at Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday to send Carlo Ancelotti's side into the winter break eight points clear atop La Liga.

As Real ended the year with a bang, city rivals and defending champions Atletico Madrid suffered their fourth straight defeat, a 2-1 reverse at Granada, to leave them fifth but a yawning 17 points adrift. Benzema put the fixture out of reach of Real's Basque hosts in a matter of minutes, Oihan Sancet pulling one back with his speedy 10th minute reply.

Benzema's 14th and 15th goals of the season consolidated his position at the top of the league's goalscoring chart. Earlier Atletico's shaky defence of their La Liga crown took another big hit with injured duo Antoine Griezmann and Stefan Savic absent.

Atletico would be more than happy to swap trajectories with Granada for whom this was a third consecutive win in front of their home fans and their fifth game without loss. This was certainly not how Diego Simeone envisaged the night before his 10th year anniversary in charge at Atletico.

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