Real Madrid defeated Elche and moved to one point behind Barcelona, with Federico Valverde scoring his fifth goal in three games.
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Published March 14, 2026
Real Madrid once again made headlines in La Liga as Federico Valverde found the back of the net. They beat Elche 4-1 in La Liga, but it was Arda Guler’s final shot from inside their own half that captured everyone’s imagination.
Midfielder Valverder completed his hat-trick against Manchester City in midweek with a curling shot from the edge of the box just before half-time on Saturday, scoring his fifth goal in three games for the Whites.
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Antonio Rudiger doubled his team’s lead when he volleyed home the opening goal in the 39th minute following a scramble in the box following Real’s corner kick.
Dean Huyssen was the player least likely to head Real’s third goal in the 66th minute, but the defender was left free in the box and remained there after another corner kick that Elche failed to clear effectively.
Even Manuel Ángel’s late own goal could not dampen the Whites’ spirits, especially when Arda Güler scored what would be the goal of the season from inside their own half.
The 21-year-old Turkish midfielder spotted Elche goalkeeper Matias Dituro off his line and, without hesitation, unleashed a long lob with his left foot, flying over the hapless keeper and bouncing once into the net.
The Santiago Bernabéu Stadium erupted in applause for the memorable 89th-minute goal that surely sealed victory.
Güler will join Madrid from Fenerbace in 2023. He has scored four goals this season, with more playing time following the departure of veteran Luka Modric.
The win moves Real to level on points with leaders Barcelona and allows them to regain a four-point advantage against Sevilla on Sunday.
The match remained tense at the Bernabéu stadium until Rudiger’s opener silenced the Madrid crowd.
This victory marks Real’s third consecutive win. Before this game, Real had lost two league games due to bounces, and parted ways with coach Xabi Alonso in January.
Interim manager Alvaro Arbeloa, a former Real player, said he couldn’t have asked for a better week after producing one of his best performances of the season in Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League victory over City.
Arbeloa’s side lead Manchester City 3-0 in Tuesday’s half-time game, and as the race for La Liga heats up, there remains a chance that what looked like a nightmare season could end with Madrid clinching two of their most coveted trophies.
Elche, who were promoted to La Liga last season, remain in the relegation zone, just one point above third-bottom Mallorca, who play Espanyol on Sunday.
