Real prevail in eight-goal thriller, Barcelona extend stay at top

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Madrid, February 19: Real Madrid staged a second-half comeback to win 5-3 at Real Betis in a thrilling La Liga tie even as second-placed Atletico Madrid won 2-0 at home to Athletic Bilbao to cut the gap with leaders Barcelona who beat Eibar 2-0 away.

Marco Asensio headed Real, who are fourth, in front after 11 minutes but Aissa Mandi nodded an equaliser in the 33rd before the visitors' Nacho Fernandez diverted a fumbled Keylor Navas save into his own net to give Betis the lead four minutes later.

A party atmosphere had gripped the Benito Villamarin stadium but locally-born Real captain Sergio Ramos punctured the mood, as he has done so often in recent years, making it 2-2 with a towering header from a corner five minutes into the second half.

Gareth Bale then spurned two good chances and it was left to hot-shot winger Asensio to put Real back in front with a strike across goal to complete a blistering counter-attack.

Ronaldo then looked to have sealed the win for Real with a net-busting strike from a tight angle in the 65th.

Substitute Sergio Leon pulled a goal back for Betis in the 85th minute to set up a tense finish but Real substitute Karim Benzema pounced in added time for Madrid's 13th goal in three games to seal the three points, leaving Betis in ninth.

"It was an end-to-end game, a crazy game but everyone likes games like that," said Real coach Zinedine Zidane.

"We were up against opponents that are playing fantastic at the moment and we're happy with the result in the end. I won't think too much about the three goals we conceded, but instead about the five we scored."

Real have 45 points from 23 games, 17 behind runaway leaders Barcelona, although they can climb above Valencia into third place if they win their game in hand at Leganes.

Earlier, Diego Simeone's Atletico side were made to fight for victory in a typically physical encounter with Bilbao but French forward Kevin Gameiro broke the Basque side's resolve in the 67th minute with a low finish into the far bottom corner.

Diego Costa, who missed the 4-1 win at FC Copenhagen in the Europa League last 32 tie in midweek with a knock, was denied a penalty in the first half but sealed the win with a near-post finish in the 80th after latching on to a through ball from Gameiro.

The former Chelsea striker had been sent off for jumping into the stand to celebrate with Atletico fans after netting his last league goal against Getafe on January 6 and toned down his celebration this time as he had already been booked.

Meanwhile, Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba were on target as Barcelona saw off Eibar 2-0 to continue their unbeaten record in La Liga and extend their lead at the top of the table.

Lionel Messi had a hand in both goals against an Eibar side who finished the match at tiny Ipurua with 10-men after the second-half sending-off of Fabian Orellana.

It was not a comfortable afternoon for Ernesto Valverde's men on a rainy day in the Basque Country, but Barca are still unbeaten 24 games into the league campaign, and have now gone 31 La Liga matches undefeated in total to match their record run under Pep Guardiola in 2010/11.

Barcelona will now turn their thoughts to the Champions League last 16, first leg against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday (February 20), and Valverde said Eibar were ideal opponents ahead of that huge match.

(With inputs from Agencies).