Ballon d’Or winner Benzema scores as Real Madrid whip Elche 3-0

MADRID: Karim Benzema and referee Jesus Gil Manzano looked at each other and started to laugh.

The Ballon d’Or winner couldn’t bear seeing another one of his goals being disallowed. He had already found the net twice, but neither had counted because of offside.

That third one did, though, and Madrid defeated Elche 3-0 on Wednesday to increase their Spanish league lead after defeating Barcelona in the first “clasico” of the season on Sunday.

Madrid opened a six-point lead over their Catalan rival, who will host seventh-place Villarreal on Thursday. It was the ninth win in 10 matches for the defending champions. Madrid remain the only unbeaten team in the league.

Earlier, the start of the match between Real Sociedad and Mallorca was delayed for about 15 minutes after a Sociedad fan fell ill in the stands and later died.

Benzema, who on Monday won the Ballon d’Or award for best player of the year, had his goals disallowed for offside in the sixth and 61st minutes. He also caused a David Alaba goal to be called off for being offside in the 26th. All calls came after video review.

Benzema’s goal from inside the area in the 75th after a back-heel assist by Rodrygo counted, though, and the French striker could laugh about it after Manzano finally confirmed the goal.

“It’s the first time they call off three goals for my team,” the 21-year-old Rodrygo said. “It was a weird game, but in the end we are happy that we scored three other times and got the win.”

Federico Valverde had opened the scoring from just outside the area with a shot with the outside of his left foot in the 11th.

Substitute Marco Asensio sealed the victory after another assist by Rodrygo in the 89th.

Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, replacing the