Pre-Match
Real Madrid entered the match sitting second in La Liga with 63 points, just four behind leaders Barcelona. Elche, meanwhile, arrived in Madrid fighting to stay above the relegation zone. They were in 17th place and had lost their last ten league games, making this a difficult trip to the Bernabéu.
Madrid also came into this game with momentum after their 3–0 Champions League victory against Manchester City at home. However, with the second leg against City coming up on Tuesday, squad rotation was expected. Injuries have already limited the options available, so managing the physical load of players was clearly part of Álvaro Arbeloa’s thinking.
One notable young addition to the squad was Pitarch, brought in from the academy to help support the first team, like he did against City. The last time Real Madrid faced Elche in La Liga ended in a 2–2 draw, so despite the difference in standings, this was not necessarily expected to be an easy game.
First Half
The match began with a minute of silence for a former Real Madrid basketball player before both teams settled into the game.
The opening minutes were fairly balanced, with both teams sharing possession and creating small attacking moments. One noticeable difference compared to many Bernabéu nights was the atmosphere, which felt slightly quieter than usual.
In the 18th minute, play was stopped after a clash between Camavinga and Sangaré. Both players required medical attention and were helped off the pitch. Camavinga was able to continue, but Sangaré was forced to leave the match and was replaced by Pedrosa.
As the first half progressed, Elche defended well and managed to hold Madrid without many clear chances. The first real opportunity came in the 35th minute when Rüdiger rose for a header, but it went just wide.
Three minutes later, however, Madrid found the breakthrough. After a free kick situation and a rebound inside the box, Rüdiger reacted quickly to make it 1–0, scoring his first goal of the season.
Just before halftime, the Bernabéu was furious after Tchouaméni was tackled inside the box without an immediate penalty decision. Luckily, he was able to continue playing.
Then, in the 45th minute, Valverde doubled Madrid’s lead with a brilliant strike to make it 2–0. Six minutes of added time followed, but the score remained unchanged as the teams went into halftime with Madrid in control.
Second Half
The second half began without any substitutions, and Madrid continued where they left off with their two-goal advantage.
Less than a minute after the restart, Brahim had a big chance but sent his shot just over the crossbar.
In the 57th minute, Arbeloa began rotating the squad to preserve key players ahead of the Champions League match against City. Vinícius, Valverde, and Tchouaméni were taken off and replaced by Yáñez, Gonzalo, and Arda Güler.
Shortly after, Rüdiger was also substituted, allowing Castilla defender Diego Aguado to make his first-team debut. Arbeloa continued to trust the academy players, with Manuel Ángel and Palacios also entering the game later on.
In the 66th minute, another defender got on the scoresheet. Dean Huijsen scored with a powerful header to extend Madrid’s lead to 3–0.
Elche responded with several substitutions of their own, but Madrid continued to control the match.
With around five minutes left to play, a miscommunication in Madrid’s defence resulted in an unfortunate own goal from Manuel Ángel, reducing the score to 3–1.
However, any hopes of a late comeback were quickly ended.
In the 88th minute, Arda Güler scored an incredible long-range goal from outside the box, making it 4–1 and sending the Bernabéu into a loud celebration.
After five minutes of added time, the referee blew the final whistle. Another league victory for Real Madrid, and a confident performance ahead of the Champions League clash with Manchester City.
