Real Madrid's La Liga title hopes remain alive as they moved to within five points of Atletico Madrid, but they left it late to secure a 2-1 win over Elche.
Zinedine Zidane’s side fell behind to a header by Dani Calvo from a corner kick, but Karim Benzema popped up similarly to notch the leveller. In stoppage-time, the Frenchman brilliantly fired into the corner.
The overall display, though, was an uninspiring one from Los Blancos.
Real Madrid 2-1 Elche Player Ratings, Match Stats, Player Stats
✔️ Casemiro: 7.2
A player more noted for his defensive attributes than those going the other way, the Brazilian was a real danger after Madrid drew level.
First, he bent a shot agonisingly past the post, then with eight minutes left sent a header over the top that skimmed the netting.
Was impressive in terms of his volume of interceptions and recoveries in the midfield, but his passing was unusually wayward. Indeed, of the starting players, only Tete Morente of Elche had a lower percentage completed.
❌ Fede Valverde: 6.2
This was not a game of big highs and lows from Real Madrid. Instead, there was a film of mediocrity that seemed to stifle the home team.
Valverde suffered from this more than any of his team-mates. He completed only 80% of his passes, 16 of which were in the final third, while he gave the ball away on an alarming 10 occasions given how little he was involved.
Furthermore, his only shot went off target.
Not a disaster, but definitely a match to forget.
⭐ Karim Benzema: 9.0
So often Real Madrid’s saviour this season, the France international forward was once again Real Madrid’s ace in what was an otherwise pretty pedestrian display.
He was booked in the first half but came up with the equalising goal, heading a Luka Modric corner into the net in a textbook style.
Madrid came to life after the goal and Benzema set Casemiro up for a shot that bent narrowly wide of the goal.
With the game heading for a draw, he brilliantly scored a first-time left-footed shot into the corner of the net after a chest down from Rodrygo.
Real Madrid 2-1 Elche Player Ratings, Match Stats, Player Stats
Karim Benzema 
Federico Valverde 
Casemiro 
Real Madrid 
Elche 
