<div style="text-align: justify; "><b style="font-size: 1rem;">Real Madrid reduced Barcelona's La Liga lead to five points with a 2-0 win over Valencia on Thursday, thanks to spectacular goals from Marco Asensio and Vinicius Junior.</b><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The duo struck in a three-minute second half salvo which stunned the visitors at the Santiago Bernabeu, and Valencia were later reduced to 10 men when Gabriel Paulista took a wild hack at Vinicius.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Madrid dominated throughout but an otherwise good night was tainted when captain Karim Benzema went off injured in the second half with an apparent thigh problem, and Eder Militao was also replaced for a similar reason.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti confirmed Benzema's injury was "very light" but that Militao would miss Sunday's trip to face Real Mallorca.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The game will likely be remembered for Gabriel's red card tackle on Vinicius, who netted his 50th goal for Madrid on his 200th appearance at 22 years old.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"We have to protect Vinicius a bit, he's a very expressive kid, he dribbles a lot and defences don't like that," Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois told DAZN.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"We need that Vini. In a lot of games he's been kicked a lot. I am happy that the referee had the bravery to send off Paulista.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Not just because it's Vini -- if we did that then we would have to be sent off too."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Valencia's interim coach Voro, taking over for the eighth time on a temporary basis after Gennaro Gattuso departed by mutual consent on Monday, had a tough night visiting the reigning champions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Los Che sit 14th, just one point clear of the relegation zone, and will now be without experienced defender Gabriel.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"We had a good first half, that was our plan, leaving them little space, but in the second it was harder for us," Valencia's Hugo Guillamon told DAZN.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ancelotti started with Eduardo Camavinga at left-back again and made two changes from Sunday's draw with Real Sociedad, bringing in Luka Modric and Asensio.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The duo combined after three minutes with the Croatian playmaker feeding the forward, who should have scored, but Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili made a fine save down to his right.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Asensio was denied again after a brilliant Benzema backheel set him up, with Gabriel throwing himself in the way of the Spaniard's shot and deflecting it over.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Vinicius sent a tame effort at Mamardashvili, while Camavinga rifled into the side netting as Madrid monopolised the chances but failed to break through.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Antonio Rudiger headed home from a corner in stoppage time but the goal was ruled out by VAR after a push from Benzema in the face of Yunus Musah was spotted.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">- Changing gears -</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Madrid stepped up several gears after the break and quickly moved in front.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Asensio broke the deadlock with a rocket from the edge of the box which ripped past the helpless Mamardashvili in the 52nd minute.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Two minutes later Vinicius doubled their lead, with Benzema sending him sprinting through on the halfway line, outpacing the defence and tucking home.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Benzema had a chance to score the third but his effort was blocked by Mouctar Diakhaby, before the Frenchman limped off holding the back of his thigh.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Gabriel was dismissed for his hack at Vinicius as the former Arsenal defender lost his head when his Brazilian compatriot flew past him.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Madrid kept theirs to secure the three points and stay five points behind Barcelona at the halfway point of the season.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ancelotti played down the clash between Gabriel and Vinicius.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"(They) had clashed very few times in the game, I think it was just the frustration, they were losing," Ancelotti told reporters.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"I can understand it. It's a bit of an ugly tackle, but Gabriel Paulista has always behaved well.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Sometimes the frustration doesn't let you think in the right way." AFP</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>