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Real Madrid run riot against Elche to reduce Barcelona's lead to eight points.
The reigning world champions returned to LaLiga in style, with a complete performance defeating the league's basement club, Elche, 4-0.
Real Madrid hosted bottom-of-the-table Elche at the new-faced Santiago Bernabeu in an attempt to close the gap on Barcelona to eight points. Los Blancos were at their brutal best, putting four goals past their inadequate opponents.
The hosts started as they meant to go on, as Asensio gave them an early lead in the 8th minute of the game. Benzema added two more in the first-half from the penalty spot in the 31st and 45th minutes. Luka Modric capped off the scoring with the pick of the bunch in the 80th minute of the game.
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The win helped Madrid close the gap on their rivals to eight points, while Elche suffered their 16th defeat of the season.
How it happened
Real Madrid returned to LaLiga after being crowned world champions rejuvenated, as they looked to get back to winning ways in the league following a 1-0 defeat to Mallorca before their trip to Morocco.
The home side meant business and they went ahead early on when Asensio was found in a pocket of space before the midfielder hit a low curler to beat Edgar Badia in goal for Elche. It was soon two when Enzo Roco was found to have handled the ball in the box and Real Madrid handed a penalty. Karim Benzema made no mistake from the spot, scoring his tenth goal of the season.
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Elche's defensive mistakes continue as they have this game and all season when Diego Gonzalez's clumsy tackle in the box meant Real Madrid were handed a second penalty. Karim Benzema won the battle of wills the second time against an otherwise sturdy Edgar Badia, finding the top left corner to put Los Blancos far ahead before half-time.
Luka Modric as he has done career-long put a cherry on the cake with a peach of a strike from outside the box giving Badia no chance at a possible save.
Benzema keeps Pichichi race alive
Although Real Madrid picked up all three points impressively against Elche, they remain eight points behind Barcelona, and the form of the Blaugrana makes it increasingly unlikely that Real Madrid would catch them and defend their title.
However, Real Madrid's star Karim Benzema could still catch Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski in the race for LaLiga's top scorer after the former's brace today took him to 11 goals, three behind Lewandowski's 14.
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