MADRID: Karim Benzema edged Real Madrid to a 1-0 derby win over Atletico to underline their Spanish league title credentials.

The French forward side-footed home a cross from compatriot Ferland Mendy to break the deadlock in a tight game in the 56th minute after coach Zinedine Zidane had sprung a double substitution to give his team more width.

Benzema’s strike gave Real their first home victory over Atletico in the league since 2012 and increased their lead over Barcelona at the top of the table to six points. Barca can reduce the margin to three if they beat Levante on Sunday.

Atletico are fifth and trail their local rivals by 13 points, while their injury problems deepened when striker Alvaro Morata limped off early in the second half with a suspected muscle problem.

In Germany champions Bayern Munich fired in three goals in the opening 26 minutes to ease past hosts Mainz 3-1 and go two points clear at the top of the Bundesliga with their sixth straight league win.

Top scorer Robert Lewandowski headed in his 22nd league goal in the eighth minute and Thomas Mueller and Thiago Alcantara added two more to lift the Bavarians to 42 points, two ahead of RB Leipzig who face Borussia Moenchengladbach later.

Mainz, who had cut the deficit on the stroke of halftime with Jeremiah St. Juste, rarely threatened the visitors.

Borussia Dortmund enjoyed an even more dominant afternoon, demolishing Union Berlin 5-0 with two goals from Norwegian sensation Erling Haaland.

Jadon Sancho opened their account in the 13th and teenager Haaland added another five minutes later.

Dortmund scored twice more after the break with Marco Reus and Axel Witsel before Haaland drilled in his seventh goal in his three games for the Ruhr valley club so far.

##############