A fierce long-range drive by Gareth Bale helped sluggish Real Madrid to a 3-0 win over Elche that put them three points clear at the top of La Liga.
Asier Illarramendi gave Real the lead before the break but it took them until the 71st minute to score again with Bale’s rocket shot before Isco added a third 10 minutes later.
Barcelona stayed in second place after they were surprisingly beaten 3-1 away to Real Sociedad. Lionel Messi pulled Barça level after Alex Song’s own-goal but strikes by Antoine Griezmann and David Zurutuza completed the win as Barcelona’s defence was exposed.
Real Madrid have 63 points ahead of Barça who, along with Atlético Madrid who face Osasuna on Sunday, have 60.
Illarramendi, replacing the suspended midfielder Luka Modric, broke the deadlock with a shot that clipped off Manu del Moral and wrong-footed goalkeeper Manu Herrera after 34 minutes.
Real were missing Cristiano Ronaldo as he served the final game of his three-match ban and without him they lacked spark in front of goal against an Elche side who defended solidly.
Karim Benzema forced Herrera into a save early on and the French striker, along with Ángel di María, looked the most dangerous for Real but they still needed a slice of fortune with Illarramendi’s effort to give them the lead.
Bale was having a quiet game on the right wing, but the Welshman came to life with a powerful shot that went in off the crossbar midway through the second period.
With Elche’s resistance broken, substitute Isco then slotted home to wrap up the points.
“[Bale] didn’t have confidence before scoring a great goal and after that he was totally different,” the Real coach, Carlo Ancelotti, said.
“I am satisfied because we didn’t concede. Our play could have been better but at this stage of the season we need to be solid and we were. In tight games Modric gives us more options but Illarramendi did very well.”
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