The Blues head into the second leg in Spain on the back of a disappointing 4-2 defeat at Southampton, but how did Real Madrid fare this weekend...?
Real Sociedad 0-1 Real Madrid, 30 April 2016
How did they line up?
This is our starting XI for this afternoon's @LaLigaEN match against Real Sociedad. 📝#RMLiga #HalaMadrid pic.twitter.com/YN6IquLnxl
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) April 30, 2016
Starting XI (4-3-3): Navas, Varane, Ramos, Nacho, James (Isco 73), Bale, Casemiro, Vazquez, Modric (Kovavic 85), Danilo, Mayoral (Jese 65).
Unused subs: Casilla, Pepe, Marcelo, Carvajal.
Zinedine Zidane made five changes to the side which took a goalless draw from the Etihad on Tuesday.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who is racing to be fit for the clash at the Bernabeu, did not feature and others were rested.
Danilo was employed on the right and Nacho on the left as Dani Carvajal and Marcelo were named on the bench, whilst youngster Borja Mayoral started ahead of Jese.
James Rodriguez also made the starting XI with Luka Modric and Casemiro. Pepe had to be content with a substitute spot. Toni Kroos and Karim Benzema were not included in the squad.
How did the game pan out?
Real made the trip to San Sebastian needing a victory to keep the pressure on their fellow title rivals - and they were made to work for it.
The visitors struggled to break down a resolute Sociedad outfit, who had defeated Barcelona on home soil a matter of weeks before.
The away side were wasteful in the final third. Gareth Bale missed three clear-cut opportunities, whilst Rodriguez and Nacho saw efforts well-saved by Geronimo Rulli.
The hosts held Zidane’s men for eighty minutes before Real managed to break the deadlock, as Bale rose to head home Lucas Vazquez’s cross.
Sociedad almost snatched an equaliser as Keylor Navas was forced into a low stop by Mikel Oyarzabal but Los Blancos held on to claim their tenth successive league triumph.
🎥 Video Goal BALE "Real Sociedad 0-1 Real Madrid #RMLiga #Halamadrid pic.twitter.com/KBuXKTxbpR
— Kabar Real Madrid CF (@Kabar_RM) May 1, 2016
Post-match reaction
Zinedine Zidane: “We fought, we suffered, we worked until the end against a team that played really well and we’ve picked up three points again.
“I’m happy with the work. We have done the job, and that’s the most important thing.
“The others have to play and the important thing for us was getting the points, because if we didn’t get them today, La Liga would have become more difficult.
“Now we have to rest well and think about the game on Wednesday.”