The gap between Elche CF and Real Madrid is clear when looking at finances and recent history. On the pitch, though, it is eleven players against eleven players. For a smaller club to topple a giant, the squad must be seasoned, prepared, and resilient against moments when the rival delivers a powerful punch.
The Elche group lacked these essentials during the visit to the Santiago Bernabéu yesterday. They offered little resistance and made the challenge feel too comfortable for Madrid. Far too often, the Franjiverdes appeared more like observers in a theater than contenders trying to climb out of the relegation places. They watched Madrid control the action from the sidelines.
Machín showed courage from the start. He chose not to retreat, opting for an attacking setup and relentless pressure. Madrid, however, moved the ball with ease. The wingers Carmona and the Priest scarcely found cohesion, while the central trio comprising Diego González, Enzo Roco, and Magallán, along with the two midfielders Raul Guti and Gumbau, struggled to gain a foothold in the game.
JA energized the tempo with the movement of white-shirted players, as Asensio and Valverde steered play on one flank, while Rodrygo and Ceballos pressed from the other. Under the watch of Elche’s players, Madrid looked in control and the night unfolded with a sense of inevitability.
Benzema sparked danger in the third minute, and Elche’s resistance lasted barely eight minutes before Madrid opened the scoring. Asensio exploited a gap, leaving Magallán with too much space, and Guti failed to close him down. The Spaniard curled a diagonal shot that found the post and then the net, setting the tone for the evening’s events.
That early strike sent a clear message: Elche’s defense would need more bite to hold Madrid at bay. The visitors equalized only from a corner, with a sequence that began when Gumbau slipped the ball to Fidel, and Huelva’s shot glanced off a teammate. Carmona then had another chance that did not bear fruit, signaling Machín’s attempt to tighten spacing in the first half.
Madrid fans settled into a reassuring rhythm as their team dictated terms. Elche offered little in the way of meaningful defense, and by the thirty-minute mark the ball remained predominantly in Madrid’s possession, the Franjiverdes seemingly chasing shadows as the whites probed at will.
Benzema headed in a second goal before the half-hour mark, a well-executed finish that left Elche with little room to breathe. Shortly before the half hour, a second nodded attempt by Benzema tested Roco, who cleared with an open hand. A penalty appeared forthcoming, and the Frenchman Simeone converted from eleven yards, widening the margin and signaling that the night would be long for Elche.
Elche tried to stretch Madrid’s defense with combinations from Clerc and Carmona, and Diego González had a solid chance on another corner. Yet the half closed with Madrid pressing with confidence, having already shaped the frame of the game in their favor. Fidel lost possession early on, Benzema’s momentum remained chaotic at times, but the French side failed to prevent Rodrygo from seizing an opportunity as the ball reached him after a scramble, another moment that left Elche’s defense exposed. The referee awarded another clear penalty, and Madrid converted once more, cementing a three-goal lead at the interval and leaving Elche with a mountain to climb after the break.
The second section began with Madrid maintaining control, showing little need to chase risk. They settled into a familiar rhythm, passing with precision and forcing Elche to react rather than dictate. The visitors barely created chances as Edgar Badia watched a stream of attempts fly by without testing him thoroughly.
Madrid’s tempo remained steady, and the scoreline reflected the balance of play. The home side continued to press and rotate, keeping Elche on the back foot. Madrid earned more opportunities, while Machín used substitutions to stabilize his team and explore what might be salvaged from the night. The changes brought a flicker of renewed energy, but the game had already moved past a point of no return.
With minutes to spare, Madrid found a fourth through Modric, and the crowd breathed a sigh of relief. The referee signaled only a brief stoppage, underscoring the one-sided nature, and Madrid largely managed the final moments with composure.
Losing is never pleasant, yet Elche’s presence at the Bernabéu offered little to remember in terms of positives. The evening underscored the margin that separates the two clubs and the levels of consistency required to compete at this level.
DATA SHEET:
REAL MADRID: Lunin; Carvajal, Militao, Nacho, Alaba; Valverde, Camavinga, Ceballos (Modric 68); Asensio (Arribas 81), Benzema (Mariano 78), Rodrygo.
Elche: Edgar Badia; Enzo Roco, Diego González, Magallán; Carmona, Guti, Gumbau, Clerc; Eze Ponce, Nteka (Boyé 66), Fidel (Tete Morente 58).
TARGETS: 1-0, 8th minute. Asensio. 2-0, 29th minute. Benzema. 3-0, 46th minute. Benzema. 4-0, 80th minute. Modric.
JUDGE: From Burgos Bengoetxea. He warned Enzo Roco (30), Gumbau (52), González (73) for Elche and Mariano (83) for Real Madrid.
STADIUM: Santiago Bernabéu in front of 44,319 spectators.