Real Madrid extended their dominant LaLiga run with a 4-1 victory over Elche at the Bernabeu, moving within a point of leaders Barcelona while maintaining a perfect record when scoring first this season.

The hosts carried momentum from their 3-0 midweek triumph over Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League last-16 first leg, controlling the game from the outset. Elche mustered only one wayward shot in the opening half, struggling to break down Los Blancos’ superior play.

Aurelien Tchouameni’s early effort from distance went wide, and Antonio Rudiger’s header skimmed over the bar, but the defender soon made amends, emphatically volleying Real Madrid into the lead following a free-kick.

Federico Valverde, building on his hat-trick heroics against City, doubled the lead before half-time with a sublime curling finish from the edge of the box after collecting Fran García’s cross. His strike highlighted the gulf in class between the sides and kept Real’s unbeaten record against Elche intact—48 years in H2H clashes (W13, D3) and undefeated at home in league play (W21, D4).

In the second half, Real continued to dominate, with Brahim Díaz coming close to a third goal. With the crucial second leg against City on the horizon, manager Álvaro Arbeloa substituted goalscorers Valverde and Rudiger, while Dean Huijsen stayed on to grab Real’s third, heading in an 18-year-old Daniel Yanez cross in only his second senior appearance.

Elche scored a consolation when Manuel Angel inadvertently diverted a cutback off the post into his own net, but Arda Güler added a fourth with a remarkable lob after capitalizing on a defensive error from Matías Dituro.

The victory reinforced Real Madrid’s flawless home league form, avoiding consecutive dropped points at the Bernabeu for the first time since October 2021. Barcelona now have the chance to respond when they host Sevilla, while Elche remain perilously close to the relegation zone, having failed to win in 11 LaLiga games (D4, L7).