Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema scored as Real Madrid extended their advantage at the top of La Liga to six points with victory over Elche.
Benzema linked with Rodrygo before slotting home from 18 yards, having seen two earlier efforts ruled out by the Video Assistant Referee.
That doubled Madrid’s lead after Federico Valverde sliced home.
Marco Asensio scored a third as Real extended their unbeaten start to 10 games.
Real opened up a three-point lead on rivals Barcelona with victory in El Clasico on Sunday, with Xavi’s side having the opportunity to cut the gap when they host Villarreal on Thursday.
Elche sit bottom of La Liga, and it was a tough night from the get-go with Benzema seeing a goal disallowed for offside in the build-up after six minutes.
Valverde’s left-footed strike from outside the area put Carlo Ancelotti’s side ahead after 11 minutes, before David Alaba and Benzema saw efforts disallowed for offside.
It left Benzema to celebrate his fifth league goal of the season by ironically drawing a square like the referee does during a VAR review.
Asensio’s hooked finish rounded off a lovely free-flowing move by Real, who have won nine and drawn one as they seek to retain their league title.
They have won their first six away league games for only the second time, after the 1991/92 campaign.
Line-ups
Elche
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 13Badia
- 14Palacios Zapata
- 5Verdú
- 6Bigas
- 23Clerc
- 21Mascarell
- 11Morente OlivaSubstituted forQuinaat 80′minutes
- 8Gutiérrez ParejoSubstituted forFerrández Pomaresat 62′minutes
- 10Milla
- 22Fernández MercauSubstituted forGumbauat 62′minutesBooked at 71mins
- 9BoyéSubstituted forPonceat 79′minutes
Substitutes
- 1Werner
- 3Roco
- 4González
- 7Pastore
- 12Quina
- 15Collado
- 16Chaves de la Torre
- 17Ferrández Pomares
- 18Martí
- 19Ponce
- 20Gumbau
- 24Lirola
Real Madrid
Formation 4-3-3
- 13Lunin
- 2CarvajalSubstituted forVázquezat 88′minutes
- 3Militão
- 22RüdigerBooked at 90mins
- 4AlabaSubstituted forNachoat 88′minutes
- 15Valverde
- 8KroosSubstituted forAsensioat 80′minutes
- 10ModricSubstituted forTchouaméniat 62′minutes
- 21Rodrygo
- 9Benzema
- 20Vinícius JúniorSubstituted forCamavingaat 80′minutes
Substitutes
- 5Vallejo
- 6Nacho
- 7E Hazard
- 11Asensio
- 12Camavinga
- 16Odriozola
- 17Vázquez
- 18Tchouaméni
- 23Mendy
- 26López Andúgar
- 30Cañizares
- Referee:
- Jesús Gil Manzano
- Attendance:
- 30,236
Live Text
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Match ends, Elche 0, Real Madrid 3.
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Second Half ends, Elche 0, Real Madrid 3.
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Éder Militão (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Ezequiel Ponce (Elche).
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Antonio Rüdiger (Real Madrid) is shown the yellow card.
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Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Pere Milla.
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Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Pedro Bigas.
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Goal! Elche 0, Real Madrid 3. Marco Asensio (Real Madrid) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Rodrygo.
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Substitution, Real Madrid. Nacho replaces David Alaba.
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Substitution, Real Madrid. Lucas Vázquez replaces Daniel Carvajal.
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Attempt missed. Ezequiel Ponce (Elche) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is just a bit too high. Assisted by Domingos Quina with a through ball.
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Attempt missed. Gonzalo Verdú (Elche) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Gerard Gumbau with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Elche. Conceded by Daniel Carvajal.
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Corner, Elche. Conceded by Éder Militão.
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Attempt blocked. Domingos Quina (Elche) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Omar Mascarell.
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Attempt saved. Federico Valverde (Real Madrid) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Marco Asensio.
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Éder Militão (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Ezequiel Ponce (Elche).
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Substitution, Real Madrid. Eduardo Camavinga replaces Vinícius Júnior.
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Substitution, Real Madrid. Marco Asensio replaces Toni Kroos.
