When Zinedine Zidane took over from Rafa Benitez, Real Madrid were in crisis. Now they are in the Champions League final and thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo’s brilliant brace, they will be fighting for the title on the final day of the season.

The Portuguese star’s 48th and 49th goals of the season, with one from Karim Benzema sandwiched in between, helped Madrid win a thrilling clash against a Valencia side that refused to give in, even after goalscorer Rodrigo had been sent off towards the end.

Madrid had suffered a spate of minor injuries before this game. None were serious, but equally, it wasn’t worth risking the likes of Gareth Bale, Luka Modric, Keylor Navas and Dani Carvajal before their date in Milan at the end of the month. 

Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring the first of his two goals against Valencia in La Liga on Sunday

Los Blancos forward Karim Benzema (left) scores his side’s second goal against Valencia from an arguably offside position 

Ronaldo (centre) scores his second goal of the game, applying a clinical finish to a fine breakaway move in the second-half  

Valencia midfielder Enzo Perez (left) dribbles clear of Madrid’s James Rodriguez during the 3-2 defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu 

Bale, who has been Real Madrid’s best player over the past couple of weeks, was a particularly big miss, but Benzema started after missing the semi-final victory over Manchester City.

It really is all about the undecima, the 11th Champions League trophy, for Madrid, with their continued participation in the title race an unexpected but welcome bonus. Partly earned by Zidane, partly gifted by Barcelona losing control and burning up their own lead. 

But in a table of matches after the Frenchman took over, Real Madrid would be top. Valencia too, would be riding high, finally finding form after Pako Ayestaran took over following the ill-fated Gary Neville era.

Valencia were sturdy in the opening stages, shutting down Madrid’s forwards without much fuss, but eventually they cracked, when Marcelo fed Ronaldo, who made a driving run across the Valencia box before lashing a low drive across Diego Alves and into the far corner.

It was Ronaldo’s second chance of the game, the first one well saved by Alves from close range, and he wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice. It was also Ronaldo’s 23rd goal in his 23rd game of 2016, his 32nd of the league season, later followed by his 33rd.

Lucas Vazquez, standing in for Bale, nearly made it two after half an hour, when his downward header was tipped round the post by Alves. It nearly was a good imitation of Bale, who has scored more headers than anyone else in Europe this season.

Valencia should have equalised before half-time though, when both Dani Parejo and Joao Cancelo missed huge chances, with Kiko Casilla taken out of the game by Paco Alcacer’s cut-back.

First Parejo flailed at the ball and couldn’t make contact, before Cancelo scooped it over the bar, perhaps distracted by the defenders running back to cover the line. 

It was a comedy of errors from Valencia, who paid a hefty price soon afterwards, with Cancelo involved again. Alves made a spectacular save from Benzema, but the ball bounced back to the Frenchman off Cancelo’s shin, and he rammed home from close range. 

Madrid midfielder and Germany international Toni Kroos (left) plays a pass ahead of Valencia’s Daniel Parejo during his side’s 3-2 win

Valencia defender Shkodran Mustafi (left) makes a clearance ahead of the on-rushing Benzema during Sunday’s La Liga clash  

Madrid forward Rodriguez (centre) controls the ball under pressure as his side edge a nervy 3-2 win over Valencia on Sunday

Valencia were furious, because the linesman flagged for offside but was over-ruled by the referee. 

Arguably Benzema had been offside when he received the ball from Ronaldo for the shot which was saved, but because Cancelo gave it back to him, wasn’t out of bounds when he eventually found the net.

Regardless of the legality of the goal, Madrid deserved to be ahead going into the break, because Valencia had only created one good chance which they spectacularly wasted.  

Benzema had a great chance to add another goal right after the restart, but Alves parried his header after he had been left unmarked in the box.

Valencia made two attacking changes at the interval, taking off the disastrous Cancelo and Aymen Abdennour, for Andre Gomes and Santi Mina. The changes worked and Los Che looked more dangerous.

Parejo smashed a free-kick off the crossbar before Rodrigo pulled one back, when Raphael Varane’s poor clearance found him on the edge of the box. 

The forward lashed the ball home, despite Marcelo’s best efforts at trying to head the ball clear.

Valencia were back in it, for a couple of minutes at least. James Rodriguez sent Ronaldo through at the other end and he clipped the ball past Alves to restore Madrid’s two-goal advantage.

Valencia’s defender Jose Gaya (left) vies for the ball alongside Benzema during Sunday’s clash at the Santiago Bernabeu 

Valencia midfielder Perez slides in with a strong challenge on Madrid defender Marcelo as his side fall to a 3-2 defeat  

Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane shouts instructions to his players during Sunday’s home victory over Los Che 

Gomes fired over and Kiko Casilla made a good stop from Parejo as the visitors kept pushing, but Madrid were playing with confidence going forward, and Zidane rested Benzema by bringing on Mateo Kovacic.

Madrid’s stopper had a couple more saves to make before the end too, producing a special stop from Alcacer’s close range effort and another from Shkodran Mustafi, while Gomes wastefully skied a chance from 10 yards out. 

The midfielder made amends shortly afterwards though, with a strike that even the supreme Casilla could not stop. Picking up the ball 25 yards from goal, he curled a strike over the goalkeeper, into the top right corner.

There was still time for Rodrigo to be sent off, presumably for dissent aimed at the nearby linesman, as the forward did nothing else obviously wrong, as well as a late appearance for Alvaro Arbeloa, coming on for his final game at the Santiago Bernabeu. 

He replaced Ronaldo and was given a big ovation by Madrid supporters—a player appreciated in Madrid for his determination and effort, even if his natural ability is lower than many of the stars that have surrounded him since he arrived from Liverpool.

Full-time whistles around Spain confirmed Madrid head into the final day second in the table, one point behind Barcelona who have 88, and two ahead of Atletico, who are now out of the title race.

Barcelona still have the advantage, because if they beat Granada then they win the title, but Zidane’s Madrid have pushed the Catalans all the way. They face Deportivo on the final day in La Coruna, with the title still a tantalising possibility.