Cadiz 0-2 Real Madrid: Marco Asensio and Nacho Fernandez help visitors get back to winning ways

It was a case of no Vinicius, no problem, for Real Madrid as they beat Cadiz 2-0 to close the gap on leaders Barcelona who play Sunday.

The Brazilian was rested for the first time this season and although his direct running and finishing were missed in the first half, Madrid found their range eventually via usual suspect Marco Asensio and via the far least likely route to goal of defender Nacho Fernandez.

Carlo Ancelotti had left Vinicius in Madrid with Toni Kroos, and also reserved Luka Modric and David Alaba on the bench.

Clearly there was one eye on the Chelsea game although Madrid were still full throttle back in the first half and they should have been ahead at half time. It was a fine performance from stand-in keeper David Gil in the opening 45 minutes that prevented it.

He saved acrobatically from Dani Ceballos and also denied Rodrygo, Karim Benzema and Asensio with fine saves. Benzema hit the crossbar too as Madrid tried to settle the game early.

Real Madrid recovered from their slip against Villarreal last weekend with a 2-0 win over Cadiz

Real Madrid defender Nacho Fernandez opened the scoring for the visitors in the 72nd minute

Rodrygo was playing in the rested Vinicius’ position wide left and created all sorts of problems for Cadiz in the first half. All that was missing from him was the finishing touch and it was the same story at the start of the second period when he did everything right only to be denied by Gil once more.

It wasn’t just Rodrygo not taking his chances and Gil making the saves. Cadiz were throwing themselves in front of every shot Madrid could muster.

Cadiz were restricted to long shots but Pachi Espino hit one powerful drive that came back off the bar.

For Madrid Benzema hit the frame of the goal for the second time with a fierce shot off the post. Just when it seemed there would be no way through Nacho made the breakthrough.

Marco Asensio doubled the lead just four minutes later to mark a routine win for Los Blancos

His brother Alex Fernandez had just come on for Cadiz and was no more than a meter away from him when the Real Madrid defender buried a shot in the corner on 72 minutes.

Cadiz’s resistance had been pierced and it was not one before Madrid found the same weak spot to make it two. It was Asensio who doubled the lead with a shot into the same corner that Nacho found.

It was Nacho’s first league goal of the season and it was Asensio’s seventh of the campaign in the domestic competition. The second goal was the cue to take off Rodrygo and Fede Valverde and bring on Modric and Eden Hazard.

Benzema was somewhat surprisingly left on as Madrid saw out the remaining minutes to move 10 points behind Barcelona who face Getafe on Sunday.