Real Madrid beat Elche to pressure Barcelona for La Liga title

Federico Valverde scores his fifth goal in three games as Real Madrid beat Elche to move one point behind Barcelona.

Federico Valverde hit the back of the net, and the headlines, once again for Real Madrid as they beat Elche 4-1 in La Liga to close to within a point of the leaders and defending champions Barcelona.

The midfielder netted his fifth goal in three games for Los Blancos, having scored a hat-trick in midweek against Manchester City, with a curling effort from the edge of the box just before half-time on Saturday.

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It doubled his side’s lead after Antonio Rudiger volleyed home the opener in the 39th minute, following a scramble in the box from a Real corner.

Dean Huijsen was the unlikely player furthest forward to head home Real’s third in the 66th minute, but the defender was left unmarked in the box, where he remained after another corner that Elche had effectively failed to clear.

Even a late own goal by Manuel Angel could not dampen Los Blancos’ spirits, as Arda Guler went on to net a late fourth for the home side.

Barcelona can restore their four-point advantage at the top of the table when they play Sevilla on Sunday.

The game had been a nervy affair at Bernabeu Stadium until Rudiger’s opener settled the Madrid crowd.

The victory marks a third straight win for Real, who had lost two on the bounce in the league prior to the current run, and parted company with their coach Xabi Alonso in January.

Interim coach Alvaro Arbeloa, also a former Real player, could not have asked for a better week, with one of the best performances of the season produced in Wednesday’s win against City in the UEFA Champions League.

Arbeloa’s side take a 3-0 advantage to Manchester for the return leg on Tuesday, and with the La Liga race tightening, what was looking like a nightmare season could still end with the two most coveted titles for Madrid.

Elche, who were promoted to La Liga last season, remain mired in a relegation scrap, just a point above third-bottom Mallorca, who entertain Espanyol on Sunday.