Real Madrid welcomed Las Palmas to the Bernabeu on Wednesday night needing a win to return to the top of La Liga.
Isco sent the home side ahead in the eighth minute of action, but Las Palmas were level less than two minutes later courtesy of a thumping strike from Tana.
Gareth Bale was incredibly shown a straight red card in the early stages of the second period and Las Palmas then took the lead from the penalty spot after Sergio Ramos had handled inside the box.
Kevin-Prince Boateng added to Jonathan Viera's penalty to make it 3-1 Las Palmas just before the hour at the Bernabeu, but Real Madrid set up a grandstand finish when Cristiano Ronaldo scored from the penalty spot in the 86th minute, and the Portuguese then scored his second one minute from time to secure an incredible point for the hosts.
Read how it all unfolded in Sports Mole's minute-by-minute live commentary of the action below.
Evening all! Sports Mole's live La Liga coverage continues from the Bernabeu as Real Madrid welcome Las Palmas. Zinedine Zidane's side have just been knocked off the top of the table by Barcelona, but victory here would see the Madrid giants return to the summit. As for Las Palmas, the Canary islanders will enter this match down in 12th position after losing each of their last four in Spain's top flight. Stay tuned!
The points were shared in a 2-2 draw when these two teams met in Gran Canaria earlier this season, but Real Madrid have won 3-1, 7-0 and 5-1 in their last three home league matches against Las Palmas. Right, time is of the essence so let me bring you up-to-speed with the team news from Madrid...
TEAMS!
REAL: Navas; Carvajal, Ramos, Nacho, Marcelo; Kroos, Kovacic, Isco; Ronaldo, Morata, Bale
LAS PALMAS: Varas; Simon, Lemos, Bigas, D. Castellano; Mesa, Gomes; Viera, Tana, Jese; Boateng
Real Madrid boss Zidane has made four changes to the team that beat Villarreal at the weekend, with Nacho, Mateo Kovacic, Isco and Alvaro Morata replacing Pepe, Casemiro, Luka Modric and Karim Benzema. Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, however, both keep their places in the XI.
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As for the visitors, former Real Madrid winger Jese Rodriguez, who is on loan at Las Palmas from Paris Saint-Germain, returns to the Bernabeu for the first time. Kevin-Prince Boateng will again operate as the lone striker, while reported Los Blancos target Mauricio Lemos starts at centre-back.
So there we have it. The two teams are in and we are now just about five minutes from kickoff in the capital. Excuse the lack of build-up for this match - it has been a quick turnaround due to Barcelona's clash with Sporting Gijon, which as mentioned has taken the reigning champions to the summit. Real Madrid now have two games in hand over their rivals, however, and sit just two points behind.
Real Madrid suffered a 2-1 defeat at Valencia last week and it appeared that they were heading for back-to-back losses when they fell 2-0 behind away to Villarreal at the weekend. Los Blancos fought back to win 3-2 at El Madrigal, however, and keep themselves in charge of their own destiny. This is another big match ahead of a trip to an impressive Eibar team at the weekend.
As for Las Palmas, the Yellows were knocking on the European door entering 2017, but they have only won one of their last seven in the league and lost their last four to drop down to 12th position. They have actually only scored once in their last four league matches and suffered a 1-0 home defeat to Real Sociedad at the weekend. A trip to Real Madrid is not what they wanted tonight.
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As a result, Quique Setien's side occupy 12th position on 28 points. They are 11 points clear of the bottom three with 14 matches to play, but are now 11 points off the top seven following a difficult run of form. In truth, it is going to be very difficult for the visitors to get their season back on track here.
KICKOFF! Las Palmas kick things off at the Bernabeu...
... GOAL DISALLOWED! Real Madrid have the ball in the back of the Las Palmas net inside the first 60 seconds as Morata converts a cross from Bale, but the offside flag is raised!
Half-chance for the away side as Roque Mesa finds some space outside the Real Madrid box, but the midfielder's wild effort is into the stands. Very open start to this game in the capital.
Just a reminder that Real Madrid have just been knocked off top spot in La Liga and need all three points to return to the summit ahead of Barcelona. Las Palmas are in a rotten run of form at the moment, but they have been neat and tidy inside the opening five minutes of this match.
Not too much to report in terms of chances in the last few minutes, but Las Palmas continue to enjoy plenty of the ball as they work off the powerful presence of Boateng in the final third.
GOAL! Real Madrid 1-0 Las Palmas (Isco)
Real Madrid make the breakthrough in the ninth minute of this match as Isco collects a super pass from Kroos before rolling the ball under the onrushing Varas. Brilliant finish from the Spaniard.
GOAL! Real Madrid 1-1 Las Palmas (Tana)
Good grief! Las Palmas strike back at the Bernabeu as Tana turns Ramos outside the Real Madrid box before absolutely smashing the ball past Navas in the Real Madrid net. What a response!
GOAL DISALLOWED! Morata is again denied by the offside flag!
I would be astounded if we had seen the last of the goals in this match as both teams continue to commit players in the final third. Fair play to Las Palmas for having a go, but they are leaving all sorts of space down the other end of the field. It has been a brilliant opening 13 minutes here.
Half-chance for Real Madrid as Bale meets a cross from Carvajal, but the Welshman's header was always moving away from the post. Morata might well have been better placed to head that.
Las Palmas break once again and Jese collects the ball in a wide position before driving into the Real Madrid box, but Carvajal is on hand to make a brilliant block. End-to-end football here.
Just a reminder that Real Madrid need all three points to return to the summit ahead of Barcelona, who have just thumped Sporting Gijon 6-1 on home soil. The home side are very dangerous when they break forward, but Las Palmas are causing the Los Blancos defence plenty of problems here.
Possession football from Real Madrid as they pass and probe in the final third, but Las Palmas are quick across the turf and are also quick to break when they have the chance. You just get the feeling that the next goal - if there indeed is one - could be a very big one in the context of this game.
Las Palmas have never won at the Bernabeu - this is their 33rd visit - but they are full of confidence at the moment as they continue to break on Real Madrid's wobbly defence.
Stoppage in play here as Bigas receives some treatment following a blow to his head.
Bigas was actually taken out by his own teammate Castellano, and the number 17 is still on the ground. Surely Las Palmas cannot take any risks. A change looks likely to occur here.
Bigas is going to leave the field on a stretcher, but he is conscious.
LAS PALMAS SUB! Aythami replaces Bigas for Las Palmas.
Ronaldo fires wide of the Las Palmas post after Bale had found the Portuguese inside the box. It was actually smart defending from Lemos, who put serious pressure on the number seven.
CHANCE! Wonderful chance for Las Palmas to take the lead as Jese feeds Boateng inside the Real Madrid box, but the Ghana international puts his effort into the stands!
OFF-THE-LINE! Las Palmas come close once again as Gomez heads towards the far corner, but Ramos is on hand to clear off the line. The visitors should really be ahead here.
Little over 10 minutes of the first period remaining and Las Palmas are full of beans here.
We have not seen an awful lot of Ronaldo in this first period, while Morata has been quiet since having that second goal disallowed. Las Palmas continue to threaten in wide positions, meanwhile, and Jese is having a lot of fun against Carvajal as he breaks past his former teammate once again.
Las Palmas are keeping a very high line at the moment, and that tactic is working as Kovacic runs out of space in midfield and is surrounded by yellow shirts. Still 1-1 approaching the break here.
Viera misses the target with an effort from outside the Real Madrid box.
SAVE! Ramos finds space inside the Las Palmas box and makes contact on a cross from Bale, but Varas is on hand to make the save. Super work from Bale in a wide position.
Ronaldo breaks Las Palmas' offside trap and looks to meet a cross from Marcelo, but Varas is on hand to claim and the away side can break down the other end of the field once again.
BOOKING! Simon (Las Palmas) is booked for a foul on Kovacic.
We are into the first of three minutes at the end of the first period.
Las Palmas drop deep as they bid to keep things level entering the break here.
CHANCE! Ronaldo delivers a super low cross into Morata, but Lemos is on hand to make a brilliant defensive challenge. Excellent work from the highly-rated centre-back.
HALF-TIME: Real Madrid 1-1 Las Palmas
So there we have it. The referee brings the first period to a close with Real Madrid drawing 1-1 with Las Palmas at the Bernabeu. The home side opened the scoring in the eighth minute through Isco, but a brilliant strike from Tana has left the two teams level at the interval of this La Liga contest.
STATISTICS! Las Palmas have actually had more of the ball tonight (55%), while they had nine attempts in the first period - two of which were on target. Real Madrid, on the other hand, had five attempts - managing two on target. Just the one yellow card to report - Simon in the 44th minute.
BENCH WATCH! Asensio, Benzema, Lucas, Modric and James Rodriguez are all on Real Madrid's bench tonight and you sense that Zidane will already be considering changes ahead of the second period in Madrid. Las Palmas, meanwhile, have already been forced into one chance - Aythami for Bigas - but Halilovic, Momo and Hernan are all still available in terms of attacking changes for Setien.
RESTART! Real Madrid resume the action in Madrid...
... no changes from either side at the break, which is not too much of a surprise. However, I suspect that both managers will have alterations in mind as the second period gathers pace in the capital.
Morata strikes one from distance, but Varas is on hand to make a comfortable save.
RED CARD! BALE!
Oh my word?! What has happened? Bale has just been shown two quick yellow cards here!
Bale is booked for hacking Viera and then pushes the Las Palmas midfielder to pick up a straight red card! It is not two yellows, rather a straight red that sees Bale sent from the field.
That was really bizarre from the Welshman. He just lost his head and pushed Viera in the chest, right in front of the referee. Las Palmas have been handed a big advantage in this match.
It has actually been all Real Madrid since Bale was sent from the field, but Las Palmas have so much pace on the counter-attack and will fancy their chances of creating opportunities as the play develops. The referee just needs to get hold of things here as late challenges continue to arrive.
BOOKING! Boateng (Las Palmas) is booked for holding Kroos.
PENALTY LAS PALMAS!
Las Palmas have a penalty as Ramos handles a strike from Simon! Incredible!
BOOKING! Ramos (Real Madrid) is booked for dissent.
GOAL! Real Madrid 1-2 Las Palmas (Viera, pen)
Viera squeezes his effort past Navas, who got a leg on the ball!
Real Madrid trailed 2-0 to Villarreal at the weekend before winning 3-2, and they are going to have to come from behind in this match if they are to return to the top of the table tonight.
SAVE! Navas has to get down and keep out a strike from Jese!
GOAL! Real Madrid 1-3 Las Palmas (Boateng)
Oh my word! Las Palmas score a third at the Bernabeu as Real Madrid's defence goes walkabouts and Boateng breaks through before beating Navas to the ball and rolling into an empty net!
SAVE! Sensational save from Navas to keep out a curling Jese effort!
I cannot believe what I have seen in this second period. Real Madrid are still committing players forward, but that is leaving so much space for this exciting Las Palmas team to exploit.
REAL MADRID SUB! Lucas replaces Isco for Real Madrid.
Ronaldo heads a Kroos free kick over the crossbar as Las Palmas survive a dangerous moment.
Little over 20 minutes of football remaining at the Bernabeu and as it stands, Real Madrid are staying in second position in the table. Barcelona will be absolutely loving this at the moment.
LAS PALMAS SUB! Boateng is replaced by Garcia for the away side.
DISALLOWED GOAL! Another disallowed Morata goal!
BOOKING! Morata (Real Madrid) is booked for a late tackle on Gomez.
REAL MADRID SUBS! Benzema and James replace Morata and Kovacic.
Simon breaks into the Real Madrid box, but there are no takers on his cross!
CHANCE! Benzema fires a low Lucas cross over the crossbar!
LAS PALMAS SUB! Halilovic replaces Viera for the away side.
Halilovic fires the ball straight at Navas after more smart work from Jese, who has been very impressive in the second period of this match. Still Las Palmas lead 3-1 in the capital.
Las Palmas have never won a league game in this stadium, but they are closing on a massive three points. You just get the feeling, however, that there could be some late drama at the Bernabeu.
SAVE! Navas keeps out another low strike from Navas!
BOOKING! Ronaldo (Real Madrid) is booked for simulation.
CHANCES! Sensational double block from Artiles as the Las Palmas centre-back denies Benzema and then Ronaldo. Time is starting to run out for the home side here.
The ball drops to James inside the Las Palmas box, but the number 10 gets it wrong and Las Palmas can block once again. Jese then breaks and has a shot, but Navas makes the save.
PENALTY REAL MADRID!
Penalty for Real Madrid as Castellano handles a cross from Ronaldo!
GOAL! Real Madrid 2-3 Las Palmas (Ronaldo, pen)
Ronaldo finds the top corner from the spot!
Las Palmas just need to keep the ball as the clock ticks into the final moments.
You just know that something is going to happen late on here. It almost does as Ronaldo heads back into the Las Palmas box, but the visitors manage to clear behind for a corner kick.
GOAL! Real Madrid 3-3 Las Palmas (Ronaldo)
It just had to happen! Ronaldo thumps a header into the back of the net for 3-3!
We are into the first of three additional minutes at the Bernabeu.
Las Palmas have the ball as this incredible game threatens more late drama.
Nacho is fortunate to escape a yellow following a late challenge on Tana.
FULL-TIME: Real Madrid 3-3 Las Palmas
And breathe! Another incredible game involving Real Madrid as Zidane's side come from 3-1 behind to draw 3-3 at home to Las Palmas. It is not enough to take them above Barcelona, but they have somehow avoided defeat tonight. Thanks for joining our live coverage once again. Until next time!
Written by
Matt Law
Matt Law
