Real Madrid shrugged off a warm-up injury suffered by Gareth Bale to move back to within two points of leaders Barcelona on Sunday thanks to a 4-1 win over Getafe.
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Angel Lafita's deflected strike had given the visitors a surprise early lead, but Pepe and a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty put Madrid in front at halftime before Isco and Ronaldo sealed the win in the second-half.
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However, it was a frustrating day for Bale, who had been named in the starting line-up, as he was forced to miss what would have been his home debut at the Santiago Bernabeu after injuring his thigh in the warm-up.
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"At the start it was a bit difficult for us going forward, but we came back and played better as the game went on," Asier Illarramendi, who was making his home debut, told Canal Plus afterwards.
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"We have scored four goals and we keep picking up points which is the most important thing."
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Isco was drafted in to take the Welshman's place on the left side of a 4-4-2 formation and, despite the disruption, the hosts should still have been in front within three minutes when Ronaldo was denied by two desperate blocks at close range.
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The home side were stunned on six minutes though when referee David Fernandez Borbalan waved play on despite Ronaldo's claims for a foul in midfield and Lafita's effort deflected off Pepe past the hopelessly wrong-footed Diego Lopez.
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Madrid levelled in the 19th minute as Miguel Angel Moya could only parry Ronaldo's effort from Angel di Maria's free-kick and Pepe bundled home the rebound.