Real Madrid vs. Espanyol: Score and Reaction from 2017 La Liga Match

Gareth Bale scored in his return for Real Madrid on Saturday at the Santiago Bernabeu, as Los Blancos moved four points clear at the top of La Liga with a 2-0 win over Espanyol. 

Alvaro Morata arrowed a superb header beyond Espanyol goalkeeper Diego Lopez in the 33rd minute to give the hosts a 1-0 lead at half-time. Bale, who has been out injured since November, entered the fray for the final 20 minutes and capped off a slick counter with a typically confident finish.

Barcelona have the chance to cut the gap back to one point on Sunday when they host struggling Leganes at the Camp Nou; Madrid have played a game fewer than their bitter rivals.

Although both sides were trying their best to make an open encounter early on, neither were able to conjure too many clear openings.

As Dermot Corrigan of ESPN FC noted, as the clock ticked on, the Bernabeu was beginning to get a little restless, with a much-changed home side struggling to put together sharp passing patterns:

Los Blancos did begin to take over in the latter stages of the half, with Cristiano Ronaldo particularly dangerous down the left flank; he produced a delightful elastico to nutmeg David Lopez, much to the delight of those in attendance.

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Eventually, the Madridistas had a goal to cheer, too. Isco did wonderfully on the right to manufacture some space and floated a dangerous ball into the area for Morata. The Spain international planted his header home, much to the relief of his team-mates.

Per the La Liga Twitter feed, while he's not been on the field as much as he would have liked in 2016-17, Morata tends to make a big impact when he is involved:

It was a landmark strike for Madrid, too. Per Squawka Football, the goal scored by Morata makes it 42 games in a row in which they've found the back of the net in all competitions—a club record.

Madrid pushed for a second before the interval, but they were unable to double their advantage in the final stages of the half.

Early in the second period Hernan Perez wasted a three-on-one break for Espanyol as he fouled Raphael Varane. Meanwhile, the attentions of those in attendance were attracted by a figure warming up on the sidelines, with Bale back in the matchday squad at last.

The home side were applying pressure to the Espanyol goal, particularly from corners and free-kicks, but as the match moved into the final 30 minutes, their advantage remained at just one, with Lopez performing well in the Espanyol goal.

With the advantage still precarious, manager Zinedine Zidane called on Bale for the final 20 minutes, seeking to put the contest beyond any doubt. Per Bleacher Report UK, things are looking good for the Madrid manager:

As captured by Real Madrid TV's Phil Kitromilides, the Bernabeu was happy to see their No. 11 back:

Madrid were still in the ascendency in the final stages, yet as had been the case for much of the match, clear-cut opportunities were not flowing.

But six minutes before the final whistle, Los Blancos did put together one decisive move. After an Espanyol free-kick was headed away, Isco did tremendously to lay the ball into the path of Bale, who surged into the box and finished as if he'd never been away.

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Per OptaJose, overall, the Welshman's goalscoring record with Madrid in the top flight makes for very impressive reading:

Real Madrid were far from their best here, which may not be a huge surprise given the changes made by Zidane; Keylor Navas, Marcelo, Luka Modric and Karim Benzema were among the first-team regulars who didn't start. The final pass was poor throughout, and although they were in control for the overwhelming majority of the match, there were some edgy moments.

Ultimately, it's three more points on the board for the league leaders, as they seek to win what would be an overdue La Liga title. Given their advantage and given they have a world-class forward available again in Bale, it's tough to see them letting their spot at the summit slip.

Post-Match Reaction

Bale posted the following on his Twitter feed after making his return to the first team:

Meanwhile, Espanyol boss Quique Sanchez Flores lamented the lack of composure shown from his team in the final third: