Atletico Madrid all but ended Real Madrid's slim La Liga title hopes as Antoine Griezmann cancelled out Cristiano Ronaldo's opener to earn a 1-1 Madrid derby draw at the Bernabeu.
Hosts Real were left frustrated as they passed up chances in the first half, with Ronaldo drawing saves from Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak and Marcelo hitting both the post and bar with the same effort.
Ronaldo - who has been on red-hot form in front of goal in 2018 - finally made the breakthrough for Real after 53 minutes, volleying home a Gareth Bale cross as Atletico failed to clear their lines.
The goal meant Ronaldo has scored in each of his last 10 games, with the Portuguese star netting an incredible 20 in that time - a rate of two per game.
However, Real's lead only lasted for three minutes as Griezmann equalised with a low effort after Keylor Navas parried Vitolo's shot.
Real coach Zinedine Zidane then sprang a surprise by substituting off Ronaldo with 26 minutes left on the clock, and Diego Simeone's Atletico sat back to preserve a derby draw.
A point apiece was the result La Liga leaders Barcelona would have wanted before kick-off, and leaves Ernesto Valverde's unbeaten Blaugrana 11 points ahead of second-placed Atletico with seven games remaining.
As for Real, they sit 15 points off the pace - only a third straight Champions League triumph looks likely to save Zidane's job.
via Evening Standard
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