Benzema scored a penalty double
Before the ball rolled, captain Benzema lifted the FIFA Club World Cup title in front of the audience at the Bernabeu. A few days ago, the royal team beat Saudi Al Hilal club 5-3 in the final in Morocco, thereby extending the championship record to five times.
Yesterday, the level between the world champion and the last club in La Liga was clearly shown. During 90 minutes, Real controlled the ball 73%, finished 26 times with 13 shots on target, while Elche only had seven off-target finishes.
In which, Benzema has scored 10 times - the most in a match in 428 La Liga appearances. In the 30th minute, the French striker hit Enzo Roco's hand, bringing the penalty to the home team. It was Benzema who made the 11m and he shot wide to the right corner, while goalkeeper Edgar Badia fell to the left.
At the end of the first half, Benzema completed a brace in a similar scenario. The referee determined that Diego Gonzalez cut down Rodrygo in the penalty area and gave Real a penalty. On the 11m mark, Benzema shot to the left corner. This time, Badia guessed the right direction but couldn't touch the ball.
Those are the 229th and 230th goals of his career in La Liga, helping Benzema surpass the legendary Raul - who scored 228 goals for Real in the tournament. The French striker is currently only behind his former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo - who scored 311 goals for the royal team in La Liga. Benzema also makes the list of La Liga's top five goalscorers of all time, behind Hugo Sanchez (234 goals), Telmo Zarra (252), Ronaldo (311) and Lionel Messi (474).
Before Benzema scored a brace, Marco Asensio opened the scoring for Real with a solo phase and then cut the left foot to the far corner in the 8th minute. The defending champions closed the day with a sublimation in the 80th minute, when Luka Modric received the ball from Eduardo. Camavinga then finished diagonally to the top corner, setting the score 4-0.
Real Madrid have scored at least four goals per game in three consecutive matches for the first time in all competitions since September 2015 under Rafa Benitez. Before defeating Elche 4-0, Carlo Ancelotti's teachers and students beat Al Hilal 5-3 and Al Ahly 4-1 at the FIFA Club World Cup.
The victory over Elche gives Real 48 points, shortening the gap with the top of the table Barca to eight points. On February 18, they were guests of Osasuna in round 22 of La Liga and then marched to Liverpool's field to play the first leg of the 1/8 Champions League round on February 21.
