Real Madrid secured a late 3-2 victory over Elche on Tuesday, maintaining their position atop the Spanish La Liga standings alongside Barcelona. The match at Estadio Martínez Valero saw Real Madrid relinquish a two-goal lead before substitute Carlos Espí scored a stoppage-time winner.
Espí, who was signed from Levante this summer and has yet to start a match for Madrid, proved decisive once again by netting his second crucial goal in as many games. His winning strike came in the 91st minute after a well-executed move involving Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappé. Bellingham, who replaced Arda Guler in the 68th minute, used a clever long touch past a defender before setting up Mbappé, whose assist allowed Espí to finish from close range.
Real Madrid opened the scoring in the 25th minute through an own goal by Elche goalkeeper Matías Dituro. The ball came off a curling free kick delivered by Guler, crossing the line after striking the goalkeeper. Eight minutes later, Mbappé extended the lead to 2-0 following a close-range finish set up by Yan Diomande, the club’s record signing, who provided his first assist of the season. Mbappé’s goal marked his seventh league tally in six matches and his eighth in all competitions.
Elche mounted a spirited comeback in the second half with goals from Abiel Osorio in the 71st minute and Fer Niño in the 83rd minute, leveling the scoreline and putting pressure on the visitors. Real Madrid coach José Mourinho expressed frustration at the team’s inability to maintain control after leading comfortably but praised his squad for responding under pressure. He noted the riskiness of his late substitutions and the challenge of managing players like Mbappé and Espí simultaneously.
Mbappé briefly appeared to be in pain after colliding with goalkeeper Dituro but was able to continue playing. Meanwhile, Vinícius Júnior struggled to find his rhythm throughout the match, missing several chances before being substituted.
Ahead of kickoff, players from both teams wore T-shirts in solidarity with residents of Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in North Africa recently affected by a migrant crisis. However, some Real Madrid players, including Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and Ibrahima Konaté, pulled the shirts only halfway down their chests, partially obscuring the message “We are all Ceutans.” The reasons for this gesture were not immediately clarified by the players.
The victory was Real Madrid's fifth in six league matches this season, leaving them level on points with reigning champions Barcelona. Meanwhile, Elche remains at the bottom of the La Liga table following their latest defeat.