"Statpad the penalties my king Benzema, let rival fans tears flow" - Twitter explodes as Real Madrid breeze to thumping 4-0 win against Elche

Fans on Twitter erupted after Real Madrid earned a 4-0 win against Elche to close the gap on Barcelona in the La Liga title race. Marco Asensio got on the scoresheet, and Karim Benzema completed a first-half brace from the spot.

Los Blancos came into the game trailing Barcelona by 11 points. Ancelotti's team, though, got off to a great start as Marco Asensio scored the opener in the eighth minute.

While the Spaniard missed a penalty against Mallorca in Los Blancos' last La Liga clash before the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup, his goal against Elche was an absolute beauty. After drifting past a few defenders with a mazy run, Asensio slotted the ball at the back of the net with a calmly taken left-footed finish.

Benzema soon added the second, scoring from the spot, marking the reigning Ballon d'Or winner's 15th of the season. He soon completed his brace with another penalty on the cusp of half-time. Luka Modric then rolled back the years with a stunner in the 80th minute to secure a spectacular win for Los Blancos.

One fan remarked:

"Statpad the penalties my king Benzema, let rival fans tears flow"

Here are some of the other reactions across Twitter after Real Madrid's thumping win over Elche in La Liga:

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Are Real Madrid back in title race?

Real Madrid CF vs Elche CF - LaLiga Santander

Not only did Real Madrid's win against Elche help them reduce the deficit on Barcelona to eight points, Los Blancos have now won three games across competitions.

Eyebrows were raised as Carlo Ancelotti's team endured a rough patch after the resumption of the season following the 2022 FIFA World Cup break. Ancelotti, though, was confident that his team would find their mojo back. He said ahead of the Elche game (via the club's website):

"We're feeling good, with positive sensations, and we're delighted to be back to enjoy the title with our fans. We have prepared well for the Elche game. The fans know what the team is going to do, which is to fight in every game and in every competition. The fans know the professionalism and seriousness of these players. I don't think they think we are in a critical situation."

The win against Elche marked Madrid's 15th victory of the league season. They now have 48 points from 21 La Liga games, trailing Barcelona by eight points.