'Complete player' Karim Benzema overtakes Real Madrid legend Raul with brace against Elche

Karim Benzema converted two first-half penalties in Real Madrid's 4-0 win over basement side Elche on Wednesday to surpass club legend Raul as the team’s second-highest scorer in the Spanish league with 230 goals.

Marco Asensio and Luka Modric were also on target as Real closed the gap on La Liga leaders Barcelona to eight points and left Elche 12 points from safety.

French striker Benzema, 35, entered the match level with Raul on 228 league goals – second only to Cristiano Ronaldo’s 311.

Real coach Carlo Ancelotti paid homage to his star player, describing Benzema as "much more than just a striker. He is a very complete player. He has a fantastic career and hopefully he will keep adding to it."

Real did not play at the weekend because of their involvement in the Club World Cup in Morocco, which they presented to supporters at the Bernabeu before kick off.

It was Madrid's second trophy of the season, after the European Super Cup, but if they are to add La Liga to their haul they have a big job on their hands.

"Here nothing is impossible," Eduardo Camavinga told DAZN, pledging to fight for the title until the end of the season.

"We saw it last season in the Champions League and we will play until the end."

Madrid had won only one of their past three league matches and were coming off a loss at Mallorca before traveling to Morocco, where they beat Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal 5-3 in the final to win a fifth Club World Cup title.

“We knew we had to win, it was important to keep pace with Barcelona,” Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos said. “Eight points in not an insurmountable gap. This team will keep fighting until the last match.”

Real Madrid's Karim Benzema holds the Club World Cup trophy prior to kick off. AP Photo

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