Real Madrid win, Atletico lose

Barcelona: Real Madrid consolidated its already commanding lead at the top of the Spanish league with a 2-0 win over Getafe, ahead of a week in which it hopes to finish off Chelsea in the Champions League quarterfinals.

Casemiro put Madrid ahead in the 38th minute with his first goal of the season. Lucas Vazquez added a second goal against toothless Getafe in the 68th on Saturday.

Madrid restored its lead to 12 points over second-place Sevilla, with Barcelona 15 points back having played two games fewer than Madrid.

Madrid, the record 13-time European champion, hosts titleholder Chelsea on Tuesday in their second leg with a 3-1 advantage from their first meeting.

Atletico Madrid lost 1-0 at Mallorca as Diego Simeone's side stumbled again after its defeat at Manchester City.

Atl tico will now have to regroup before it hosts City on Wednesday needing to overturn a 1-0 first-leg loss to Pep Guardiola's side to reach the Champions League's final four.

BALE AT BERNAB U

Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti even found the moment to let Gareth Bale play his first minutes at the Santiago Bernab u since Feb. 2020 as a substitute for Karim Benzema.

Benzema's scoring run of seven straight games including back-to-back Champions League hat tricks finally ended and he was given a standing ovation when he came off in the 74th.

Those cheers turned to jeers for Bale, who had long lost the support of many Madrid fans even before he spent last season on loan at Tottenham. Bale's six previous appearances this season had all come on the road.

On Friday, Ancelotti said that he hopes Bale has an honorable exit from the club that he helped to win four European Cups.

Bale, whose contract expires at the end of the season, smiled perhaps ironically as the abuse rained down.

Every player who goes on the field is important, Madrid's Marcelo said about Bale's hostile reception.