Real Madrid cruise past Getafe on Casemiro, Vazquez goals

Casemiro scored his first goal of the season as Real Madrid beat Getafe 2-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday to maintain their 12-point lead at the top of the LaLiga table.

The Brazil midfielder opened the scoring with a diving header from Vinicius Junior's pinpoint cross in the 38th minute before Lucas Vazquez added a second half an hour later -- after exchanging passes with Rodrygo -- to secure the win.

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The result leaves leaders Real Madrid on 72 points with seven matches left to play, comfortably ahead of second-placed Sevilla on 60 points, and Barcelona, who play on Sunday, on 57.

"We made it seem calm, but it wasn't calm. We ran a lot until the end, we fought, and Getafe were there fighting," Marcelo said after the match. "We had more of the ball, we know how to stop their counter-attacks, we knew we could score at some point, and in the end we did it, in the first half and the second half, but it was difficult."

"I think every player needs to feel important, needs to play, and we're all important. Today it was nice to see some players who haven't got so many minutes. We're a team of 25, 26, we have to all be there because that's what we need until the end of the season."

"Casemiro is there to defend but he can score goals, he gets into the opposition box a lot and today he had the luck to score."

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Getafe had beaten Madrid 1-0 when the two sides met in January, and Carlo Ancelotti made four changes to the team that won 3-1 at Chelsea in midweek with Marcelo, Lucas Vazquez, Eduardo Camavinga and Rodrygo coming in.

Madrid started well and Karim Benzema had a fourth minute goal ruled out for offside. The home side created a string of chances as Marcelo had a shot saved by goalkeeper David Soria, Lucas Vazquez fired into the side netting, Fede Valverde was denied by Soria and Vinicius had an effort saved after after slotting the ball through the legs of defender Djene Dakonam.

Getafe posed little threat -- David Alaba had to race back to cover when Borja Mayoral got in behind in a rare attack -- before Vinicius provided the delivery that saw Madrid open the scoring. The winger crossed with the outside of his right foot for Casemiro to head past Soria, Vinicius' seventh assist in LaLiga this season.

Casemiro and Valverde were both booked before half-time, the Brazilian's card meaning he will miss Madrid's trip to Sevilla next weekend.

After the break, Marcelo and Valverde both went close before Vazquez made it 2-0 in the 69th minute, cutting inside from the right before finishing low into the bottom corner.

With Madrid heading for the win, Gareth Bale came off the bench and was whistled by the Real Madrid fans in his first appearance at the Bernabeu since February 2020, before Getafe's Enes Unal hit the post in the visitors' best chance of the night.

"It's difficult, it's happened to a lot of people, but we're all important," Marcelo said of the whistles for the Wales international. "Every player who goes onto the pitch, we're playing for a lot of things until the end of the season, we have to be united, to help our teammates, the fans have to help us too, but it's like that, we have to keep going and be calm.

"We're with him, it's a bit sad but we have to play and sweat for the shirt, that's all there is."

Ancelotti added: "Hurt no. Bale is fine, he's training well and he wants to play and help the team, that's the most important thing. At this moment in the season we need everyone, unity between the team and the fans is very important."