Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Real Madrid's La Liga clash with Espanyol from the Santiago Bernabeu. The league leaders have a chance to extend their lead at the top of the table to four points with victory, while still having a game in hand over Barcelona and Sevilla. Real boast a massive 17 points cushion over ninth-placed Espanyol, but the men from Catalonia had won three games on the trot before last weekend's 2-1 defeat to Real Sociedad. I'm Pete Hall, and I will be bringing you at action, as it happens, live!

La Liga / Matchday 23

Bernabéu / 18.02.2017

Real Madrid

Completed

RCD Espanyol

Á. Morata(33')
G. Bale(84')

Live

Live Updates

ByPete Hall

Updated 18/02/2017 at 17:07 GMT

All
Highlights

90+2'

FT: Real Madrid 2-0 Espanyol. That's it. The hosts now four points clear at the top of the table. Very comfortable afternoon, as the visitors posed absolutely no threat to the home goal. Bale will grab the headlines after scoring on his return. That will be a huge boost for Zinedine Zidane ahead of a crucial period. Thanks for joining us. Full report and reaction to follow on site. Goodbye.

90+1'

Great cross from Bale seems to be heading for Ronaldo, but again Duarte is there.

90'

Two minutes of added time here. Ronaldo seems to be limping a tad.

88'

NO PENALTY! Ronaldo is down, rolling around in typically theatrical fashion, but the referee is having none of it.

87'

Ronaldo sprints down the right to get on the end of a long ball, but again Duarte is over to cover.

He's back.

85'

Well that was in the script. Perfectly weighted pass from Isco plays Bale in, on the counter, his pace takes him clear, before firing into the bottom corner. Clinical.

84'

GOAL! Real Madrid 2-0 Espanyol. Gareth Bale marks his return with a goal!

84'

Casemiro earns himself a yellow card, much to his bewilderment.

82'

Change for the visitors now, as former Swansea striker Alvaro Vazquez comes on for Jurado.

81'

Marcelo comes on for Real, replacing Nacho.

80'

Lucas Vazquez does really well to use his body to roll Aaron, the defender can only foul his man, which earns him a yellow card.

78'

CLOSE! Long, lofted cross finds Lucas Vazquez at the back post, he volleys at goal in a controlled manner, but it goes just wide.

77'

Kroos arrives very late to get on the end of a Lucas Vazquez pass, but again it is blocked at the last.

75'

Bale quiet so far. He is pulling very wide, and seeing very little of the ball.

74'

Isco wins another corner, but again it goes begging. If Madrid had converted just a fraction of their corners, they'd be well away here!

73'

Poor cross from Lucas Vazquez, as he looks for Isco in the middle. Diego Lopez can come out to gather.

71'

Ronaldo has gone into the middle, allowing Bale to play down the left-hand side.

70'

HERE COMES BALE! Three months on the sidelines comes to an end as Morata makes way for the Welshman.

68'

CHANCE! Morata does well to work space for the cross, clips it to the back post, but Ronaldo had gone too early with his jump, heading over as he came down.

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