Elche vs Real Madrid summary: scores, goals and highlights | LaLiga 2021/22

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That's all our coverage for Elche-Real Madrid today. Thanks for joining and we'll see you next time!

Carlo Ancelotti post-match: 

Movistar - "We controlled a lot of the game but the game doesn't finish until the referee blows the whistle. Vinicius scored two fantastic goals.

"Vinicius keeps his great run of form going. Mariano played very well too I thought and set up Vinicius for his first goal."

Vinicius post-match:

Movistar - "The goals are finally coming and I'm happy to help the team. This is a difficult place to play in and win. They’re unbeaten here this season.

"Ancelotti gives us a lot of confidence. Modric always tells me to make runs, that the ball will arrive."

FT: Elche 1-2 Real Madrid

And that's it!

Real Madrid return to the top of the table thanks to Vinicius' brace at the Estadio Martínez Valero. 

Casemiro is down with blood on his nose after a sliding challenge on Pere Milla.

The ball falls in the box and Alaba clears!

Elche have a free near the corner flag.

Militao fouls Bigas and he is not happy...

There will be four minutes added on!

Palacios throws it long but Madrid clear the danger!

Elche are back in the game and have a throw on the right. 

Elche 1-2 Real Madrid

Milla scores his first of the season to give Elche a glimmer of hope!

Real Madrid changes:

OFF Modric & Vinicius

ON Camavinga & Hazard

Camavinga is set to come in for Real Madrid. 

Elche change

Elche changes

Mariano has been very impressive for Real Madrid today, linking the play and leading the line. Benzema has been rested, Ancelotti took the risk and so far it has paid off. 

Modric slips Vinicius in but he still has so much to do, before bursting past Bigas and dinking over Casilla from a tight angle to score his seventh league goal of the season. 

It's a wonderful finish by Vinicius to double Madrid's lead against the 10 men of Elche. 

Elche changes:

OFF Lucas Pérez & Pastore

ON Benedetto & Gumbau

Carvajal crosses for Mariano. Casilla saves the low header. Madrid lead 1-0 with just over 20 minutes remaining.  

Ancelotti gives Marcelo a big hug as he goes off. That was the Brazilian's first start of the season and Carletto looks pleased with his performance. 

Real Madrid changes:

OFF Lucas Vázquez & Marcelo

ON Carvajal & Mendy

Raúl Guti picks up his second yellow of the match after a late challenge on Kroos. Elche are down to 10 men. 

RED CARD!

Raúl Guti is sent off for Elche

Marcelo almost puts it in his own net! 

Mojica sends in an excellent cross from the left and it flies off Marcelo's thigh and goes narrowly over the bar. 

Carlo Ancelotti will more than likely make a couple of changes in the next 10 minutes. Elche have their tails up. 

Boyé turns quickly inside the box and shoots but Alaba defends superbly and it's another corner for the home side. Pastore sends in a higher corner than Fidel but Madrid once again survive the threat. 0-1

Fidel's corner doesn't beat the first man and Madrid clear. It's almost time for Carvajal to come in for Madrid. 

Elche haven't been beaten at home this season. They have 35+ minutes to get back into the game here. 

Today's attendance: 23,010

FIDEL! 

Pastore picks out the captain at the back post. He strikes the volley first time. Courtois isn't required this time as it flies wide. 

Kroos sends it wide to Vázquez, who in turn whips in a cross from the right for Asensio. The sub fails to connect with it and Elche can breathe again. 

Marcelo wins an early corner on the left after some good play and a shot that was deflected out. Mojica goes up for the ball from Kroos' corner and hits the ground. The medical staff are on but thankfully he looks ok. 

If you're just joining us, it's Elche 0-1 Real Madrid. 

Elche get us underway for the second half!

HT: Elche 0-1 Real Madrid

Vinicius' goal has Madrid ahead at halftime in Elche. 

Elche, to their credit have kept pushing for an equaliser, but are lacking that quality in the final third. 

Lucas Vázquez heads Lucas Pérez's corner away.

Elche corner right on halftime!

There will be two minutes added on. 

There are two balls on the pitch now. Boyé gets ride of one. 

Elche have had their chances in this first half and really should have equalised. Madrid will be delighted to get to halftime and be ahead. 

Lucas Pérez misses from close range!

Lucas Pérez should really have Elche back in the game. Pastore flicks it wonderfully to the striker, who scuffs his shot wide from 8 yards out.

Marcelo sends in a fine cross from the left wing but Mariano is unable to meet it at the back post. 

Since Madrid took the lead, they have dropped a few yards deeper and Elche have been on the front foot as they look for a first half equaliser. 

Lucas Pérez!

The former West Ham man volleys well over Courtois' bar from 12 yards. It remains 1-0 to Madrid. 

It's still very early here but Elche haven't beaten Real Madrid since 1978.

Mariano hits the side-netting!

The Madrid forward drops the shoulder, Casilla goes one way, Mariano goes the other, but the angle is too tight and he shoots into the side-netting. 

Vinicius has now scored 6 goals in 11 league games for Madrid this season. 

Elche 0-1 Real Madrid

Vinicius gives the away side the lead.

Mariano flicks Casemiro's pass first time to Vinicius, who sets himself up with one touch before burying his shot beyond Casilla into the bottom right hand corner from just inside the box. 

Boyé shoots!

Courtois makes a big save with his left hand. Boyé works a yard for himself, before shooting high but the big Belgian shot-stopper gets a strong hand to the ball.

Madrid are forced into an early change. Rodrygo has suffered a muscular injury to his hamstring.  

Substitution for Real Madrid:

OFF Rodrygo

ON Asensio

Madrid are playing with 10 men for now as Rodrygo receives a hamstring massage. 

It looks like a hamstring problem for Rodrygo. This is bad news for Real Madrid. 

Rodrygo is down and Asensio is warming up.

Alaba plays it to Mariano. Mariano finds Rodrygo, who smashes it wide first time from the edge of the box. 

Rodrygo runs at Bigas, who stops the winger superbly and starts his own attack for Elche. 0-0

Elche and Villarreal are the only sides in LaLiga who haven't scored a goal from a set-piece this season.  

Raúl Guti is booked for pulling down Toni Kroos and that is the first booking of the game. 

Pastore presses Alaba and the Argentine wins a free for his team near the corner flag. Alaba looks perplexed but it's a clear free. Lucas Pérez takes the free-kick. Madrid clear the danger.

Real Madrid are knocking it about with ease in the opening minutes. Kroos and Modric are at the centre of the build-up play but Rodrygo's long-range shot has been the only half-chance of the match so far.

Rodrygo shoots! Casilla saves! 

The Brazilian has a go from 25 yards. He's out on the right and it's straight at the former Madrid keeper Casilla.

The home side have gone with a 4-4-2 and are expected to play in their usual low block. Real Madrid should have plenty of the ball today.

Real Madrid get us underway!

Elche are playing from left to right as we watch it. Madrid are wearing their navy blue strip. 

The players are making their way onto the pitch.

Elche vs Real Madrid starts in 10 minutes! We'll be bringing you all the action as it happens. 

Mariano & Marcelo start for Madrid

The last time Mariano played in a competitive match was May 22 against Villarreal. The last time he started a game for Madrid was April 18 versus Getafe.

Kick-off in Alicante is just over 20 minutes away.

Elche in LaLiga: 15th

11 games played, 10 points

Thibaut Courtois warms up ahead of Elche-Real Madrid at the Martínez Valero.

Real Madrid XI vs Elche

Elche XI vs Real Madrid

Real Sociedad lead the way in LaLiga

Real Madrid will go provisionally level on points with LaLiga leaders Real Sociedad if they can see off Elche at the Estadio Martínez Valero on Saturday - but Carlo Ancelotti’s men will have to end Los Franjiverdes’ unbeaten home streak in the process.

After the high of beating arch rivals Barcelona last weekend, Madrid suffered a frustrating night on Wednesday, as Osasuna held Los Blancos to a 0-0 draw at the Bernabéu. It was a stalemate that allowed La Real to move three points clear at the top with victory over Celta Vigo on Thursday, albeit Madrid have a game in hand on the Txuri-urdin, who take on Athletic Club in the Basque derby on Sunday.

Elche name starting XI

REAL MADRID

Ancelotti: "Hazard? If a player wants to leave, they should..."

Carlo Ancelotti says that if any of his players want to leave in the winter transfer window, he won't stand in their way. When the Real Madrid coach was asked how he would feel if a player like Eden Hazard requested to leave in the January window, he replied that he has never forced a player to stay on at a club if they are keen to move elsewhere.

In Friday's press conference, the Italian also spoke about some of the issues which were raised during the midweek game against Osasuna. He said that solutions need to be found to ensure that interruptions in the game don't affect the viewing experience for fans and that some of the regulations are too complex and unfair.

Ahead of today's meeting with Elche, Ancelotti hopes his team continue to show commitment and that they are as tactically and technically as strong as they have been in the last few outings.

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Real Madrid XI vs Elche

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Hazard: Premier League clubs sounded out over January deal

With Eden Hazard struggling to earn a spot in Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid team, Los Blancos could be set to ship the winger back off to the Premier League.

Several English clubs have been contacted to sound out their interest in signing Hazard in the January transfer window, according to ESPN. Among the clubs reportedly spoken to are Chelsea, who sold the 30-year-old to Madrid in 2019, and Newcastle United, who are eyeing a host of transfer targets following their acquisition by a Saudi-led consortium.

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Real Madrid hoping to bounce back after scoreless draw

Real Madrid dominated possession and had the lion's share of the chances on a frustrating night for the hosts against a stubborn Osasuna side at the Santiago Bernabéu on Wednesday, with Karim Benzema coming close in the 61st minute as the Frenchman drove his close-range shot over the bar from close range. But that's as good as it got for Los Blancos.

The best chance of the game fell to Osasuna 11 minutes prior on 50' as Moncoyola struck the post following a quick 3 v 2 counterattack by the visitors that almost unraveled Madrid. But neither side could break the deadlock and the game ended 0-0.

Elche's poor record against Los Blancos

Elche haven’t beaten Real Madrid since back in 1978 but did take a point off the 34-time Spanish champions when they hosted them in LaLiga last season. Fidel’s second-half penalty cancelled out Luka Modric’s early opener.

Elche host Real Madrid

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Elche vs Real Madrid: preview, times, TV, how to watch online

All the information you need on how and where to watch Elche host Real Madrid on matchday 12 of the 2021/22 LaLiga season on Saturday.

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Elche vs Real Madrid live: welcome

Hello and welcome to AS English's live coverage of this LaLiga matchday 12 fixture as Elche host Real Madrid at the Estadio Martínez Valero. Kick-off is at 08:00 ET / 14:00 CEST.