Real Madrid thrashed Elche 4-1, marking their third consecutive victory across all competitions. André Silva and Martim Neto started in the match for the 28th round of La Liga, but they could not prevent a festival of masterpieces from the Merengues. Before the artistry, however, there was a painful moment. Buba Sangaré, just 18 years old, was substituted in the 23rd minute after a thunderous clash with Camavinga. The concussion protocol was then activated, allowing for an extra substitution for both the team losing a player due to a head injury and the opponent. Real Madrid would take advantage of this rule to invest in youth, but first, they focused on building their triumph. In the 39th minute, Valverde struck a free kick with such power that the goalkeeper could not hold onto the shot, and the ball fell to Rudiger, who opened the scoring. Valverde, who had scored a hat-trick on Wednesday against Manchester City, continued to be on fire, much to Elche's dismay. The Uruguayan midfielder, assisted by Fran García, maneuvered past an opponent and unleashed a shot that woke the owl in the upper right corner of the opponent's goal. What a goal. Arbeloa, already eyeing the second leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 that Real will play on Tuesday in Manchester, took advantage of the two-goal lead to manage the game. The Spanish coach made six substitutions between the 58th and 64th minutes, promoting the debuts of 19-year-old Diego Aguado. Diego Yanez, 18, was another young player introduced by Arbeloa and responded with a sublime assist to Hujsen, extending the lead to 3-0 in the 66th minute. Miguel Ángel Morán, another bet from the Spanish coach, had a less fortunate night, scoring an own goal in the 85th minute. The best moment of the night was still reserved for the 89th minute. Arda Guler, from his own midfield, unleashed an unbelievable shot that traveled nearly the width of the entire pitch to score an unforgettable goal. Real Madrid now has 66 points and has put pressure on Barcelona, who will face Sevilla on Sunday.
Martim Neto Before the remains central to this story.
Martim Neto Before the remains central to this story.
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