Real Madrid vs. Sevilla: Winners and Losers from La Liga
March has been a very good month for Real Madrid.
Zinedine Zidane's side will head into April off the back of five straight wins in all competitions, the last of them being a 4-0 thrashing of La Liga rivals Sevilla on Sunday.
Karim Benzema marked his return from injury by scoring just six minutes into the game, although somehow his early strike was the only goal of a dramatic first half at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid, Spain.
Sevilla goalkeeper Sergio Rico made a string of fine saves, while the visitors spurned a glorious chance to equalise when Kevin Gameiro failed to convert a penalty.
The Sevilla forward also had a goal incorrectly ruled out as offside early in the second half when the score was still just 1-0 to Madrid.
Los Blancos saw Cristiano Ronaldo miss a penalty, with his attempt from 12 yards out going over the bar, before the Portuguese forward finally made it 2-0 when tapping home Danilo's cross.
Gareth Bale quickly added a third goal with a tap-in from close range, while Madrid's fourth arrived in the closing minutes when substitute Jese swept a shot beyond Rico.
Bleacher Report has picked out the winners and losers from what was a fine advert for the Primera Division.
Winner: Karim Benzema
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Making his first appearance in La Liga since the 1-0 derby defeat to Atletico Madrid on Feb. 27, Karim Benzema didn't waste any time in showing Real Madrid what they had been missing.
The Frenchman broke the deadlock after just six minutes with a sublime finish, with his half-volley from Gareth Bale's cross sending the ball flying into the top right corner of the net.
It was not just a wonderful strike, but also a milestone moment for Benzema.
According to Sky Sports Statto on Twitter, it was the striker's 250th goal in senior football, with 157 of them coming for his current employers.
Benzema's presence made a huge difference to Madrid, giving them a focal point in the middle that allowed fellow forwards Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale to prosper when positioned out wide.
Loser: Kevin Gameiro
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While one French forward impressed for Real Madrid, another endured a game to forget for Sevilla.
Kevin Gameiro has had an excellent season for the Andalucian side, scoring 21 goals in all competitions and helping fire Sevilla to not only the Copa del Rey final but also the last eight of the UEFA Europa League.
Yet he failed to add to his tally at the Santiago Bernabeu, including having a second-half goal harshly ruled out for offside.
However, he had only himself to blame for not scoring in the first half.
After Sevilla were awarded a penalty for Raphael Varane tugging Adil Rami's shirt, Gameiro saw his effort kept out by goalkeeper Keylor Navas.
As Ed Malyon pointed out for the Mirror: "On a night when he could have outshone his compatriot Benzema, Gameiro's match went the other way."
Sevilla—who slipped down to sixth in the table following Celta Vigo's 2-0 win at Valencia on Sunday—will return home wondering what might have been.
Winner: Gareth Bale
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Gareth Bale's goal in the 66th minute won't make his highlight reel, but it was still a notable strike for the Wales international.
In tapping home from close range into an empty net, Bale scored for the 43rd time in La Liga. He now sits clear as the leading British marksman in the history of the competition.
Englishman Gary Lineker previously held the record at 42. The former Barcelona player turned television presenter offered his congratulations to the new record-holder via Twitter.
Bale's goal wasn't his only contribution to Real Madrid's win—he also claimed an assist with his cross for Karim Benzema's opener.
While many of his club colleagues will now head away on international duty, Bale gets the chance to take a break.
He was not included in Wales' squad for the friendlies against Northern Ireland and Ukraine following discussions between his international manager, Chris Coleman, and Madrid, per BBC Sport.
Loser: Unai Emery
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Ahead of the trip to the Santiago Bernabeu, Unai Emery was confident his Sevilla side could finally end their wait for an away win in La Liga this season. According to Rocio Guevara of Marca.com, he said: "Tomorrow's the day."
Well, the wait goes on for a little longer after the visitors conceded four goals without reply.
The final score was perhaps a little harsh on Sevilla, but they were fortunate not to be dead and buried in the opening 25 minutes.
Were it not for goalkeeper Sergio Rico, plus an incorrect flag ruling out a Gareth Bale goal for offside, Real Madrid would have been over the hill and far away before half-time.
Luck went against Emery's side after the break, as they had a perfectly good Kevin Gameiro goal chalked off.
But the fact is clear—Sevilla have now gone 15 games without registering a league victory on their travels.
That is a shocking statistic when you take into account they managed 10 wins in 19 away trips in the 2014/15 campaign.
Winner: Keylor Navas
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Who needs David De Gea when you've already got Keylor Navas?
Real Madrid's current goalkeeper once again came to their rescue, saving a first-half penalty from Kevin Gameiro to maintain his side's 1-0 lead.
The Costa Rica international guessed correctly with the spot-kick, diving to his right to turn away the Frenchman's low effort.
According to WhoScored.com, Navas has now saved three penalties in La Liga this season, more than any other goalkeeper in the competition.
Madrid nearly signed De Gea from Manchester United in the summer of 2015. According to Bleacher Report's Dean Jones, the Spain international's future at Old Trafford could hinge on the potential arrival of Jose Mourinho as manager.
However, Los Blancos should not rush to replace their current No. 1.
Navas recorded a second successive clean sheet on home soil, albeit only thanks to Gameiro's second-half goal being chalked off.
