Real Madrid secured an important victory over Elche at the Santiago Bernabéu after overcoming a difficult first half against a disciplined and well-organized visiting side.
Before kickoff, the stadium observed an emotional tribute in memory of former basketball player Vicente Paniagua, creating a respectful atmosphere inside the Bernabéu.
Real Madrid lined up in a 4-4-2 formation, with Dani Carvajal returning to the starting lineup while Trent Alexander-Arnold began the night on the bench. Elche entered the match with a 4-2-3-1 setup and immediately looked ready to compete physically and defensively.
The match began with Elche controlling the opening possession, but Real Madrid quickly settled into the game and started controlling the ball comfortably.
Madrid produced the first attacking opportunity of the night within the opening minutes, although Elche’s defense reacted quickly to stop the danger.
Camavinga committed an early foul in the fourth minute before Elche’s Buba Sangaré responded with a strong challenge moments later as the game immediately became physical.
Elche nearly shocked the Bernabéu with an excellent attacking move when Silva found space inside the area, but his header struck the side netting after Valera delivered a dangerous cross.
The biggest moment of the first half came in the 17th minute following a heavy collision between Camavinga and Sangaré. Both players went down injured, forcing medical staff onto the field and briefly pausing the game.
While Camavinga was eventually able to continue, Sangaré appeared to be in serious discomfort and was unable to stand. The Elche defender was taken off on a stretcher to applause from the crowd.
Elche made their first substitution shortly afterward, bringing on Adrià Pedrosa.
The visitors continued to defend impressively throughout the first half, frustrating Real Madrid and making it difficult for the hosts to create clear opportunities.
Madrid briefly appealed for a penalty after Fran García went down inside the box following contact from Pedrosa, but neither the referee nor VAR awarded the spot kick.
Despite Real Madrid dominating possession, Elche’s compact defensive shape continued causing problems.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 39th minute.
Federico Valverde fired a powerful free kick toward goal, forcing goalkeeper Dituro into a difficult save. However, the rebound fell directly to Antonio Rüdiger, who reacted quickly and finished calmly into the top-left corner to give Real Madrid a crucial lead.
The goal completely changed Madrid’s momentum.
Only minutes later, Tchouaméni appealed for another possible penalty after going down inside the area under pressure from multiple defenders, but once again the referee allowed play to continue.
Real Madrid continued pushing forward confidently after the opening goal, and the second breakthrough arrived in the 44th minute.
Following a flowing attacking move, Fran García found Federico Valverde near the edge of the box. The Uruguayan midfielder calmly set himself before curling a brilliant right-footed effort beyond the goalkeeper to double Madrid’s advantage.
The Bernabéu erupted once again as Valverde capped off another excellent performance with a stunning finish.
Six minutes of added time were awarded at the end of the first half following the lengthy injury stoppage earlier in the match.
Real Madrid entered halftime with a deserved 2–0 lead after a difficult opening period that eventually turned in their favor through patience, intensity, and moments of individual quality.
Elche impressed defensively for large portions of the first half and showed strong organization throughout the match, but Madrid’s quality in key moments ultimately made the difference at the Bernabéu.
The second half began with Real Madrid continuing the same intensity they showed at the end of the opening period.
Brahim Díaz nearly put the game completely out of reach within the first few minutes after stealing possession from Elche’s last defender. However, with only Dituro to beat, the Moroccan international sent his effort over the crossbar in a huge missed opportunity.
With the match increasingly under control, Álvaro Arbeloa began rotating his squad ahead of the important Champions League clash at the Etihad Stadium. The Real Madrid coach introduced fresh legs, bringing on Arda Güler, Gonzalo García, and Daniel Yáñez, while later also giving Diego Aguado minutes in defense.
One of the standout moments of the second half came through Dean Huijsen. The young defender continued his impressive form against Elche by scoring Real Madrid’s third goal of the night following an excellent assist from academy player Daniel Yáñez. The cross found Huijsen perfectly inside the area, and the defender calmly guided the ball into the back of the net.
Elche eventually found a consolation goal late in the game after a mistake from Camavinga during the buildup led to an unfortunate own goal by Manuel Ángel.
However, the final word belonged to Arda Güler.
Just when the match appeared to be over, the Turkish midfielder produced a moment of brilliance from near the halfway line. Spotting goalkeeper Dituro off his line, Güler attempted an ambitious strike from distance and perfectly executed one of the most spectacular goals of the night.
The Bernabéu erupted as Real Madrid sealed a dominant 4–1 victory with style.
With several academy players involved during the closing stages, Los Blancos completed another important La Liga win ahead of crucial upcoming fixtures against Manchester City and Atlético Madrid. The performance once again highlighted the squad’s depth, young talent, and growing confidence under Arbeloa.