Elche 0-3 Real Madrid: Karim Benzema celebrates Ballon d'Or award with goal in win for Carlo Ancelotti's side

Real Madrid have extended their lead at the top of La Liga to six points after beating Elche 3-0. Carlo Ancelotti’s side arrived at the Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero on a high, having defeated Barcelona 3-1 in El Clasico at the weekend to overhaul their great rivals at the summit of the table. Ad They also boasted a second Ballon d’Or winner in their ranks, with Karim Benzema joining Luka Modric in football’s most exclusive club on Monday.

Ballon d'OrBenzema seen without bandage at Ballon d’Or ceremony – why does he wear it?AN HOUR AGO The man of the moment had the ball in the back of the net with five minutes on the clock, only to see the goal chalked off on account of Vinicius Junior straying narrowly offside before laying on the final ball. Real had made an absolutely relentless start, however, and scored the opener soon afterwards when Federico Valverde lashed past Elche goalkeeper Edgar Badia from outside the area. Benzema was again thwarted by the linesman’s flag around the 25-minute mark, this time after setting up David Alaba.

It would have been a beautiful team goal – Alaba cutting in off the left and playing a one-two with Valverde, then another with Benzema, before smashing the ball into the far corner – but Real’s No. 9 was centimetres offside in the build-up. Elche had a promising spell after that, Nicolas Fernandez unleashing a thunderbolt from distance which Andriy Lunin pushed round the far post with his fingertips.