Los Blancos defeated Granada 4-1 in their latest LaLiga fixture and climbed to the top of the league table as a result. Carlo Ancelotti’s men were helped by Valencia, as they held previous league leaders Real Sociedad to a goalless draw.
Marco Asensio put Real ahead at the Los Carmenes after just 19 minutes. The Spaniard was sent through on goal through the middle by Toni Kroos with a perfectly weighted pass. He took the ball in his stride and finished past Luis Maximiano with confidence.
Six minutes later, Kroos again turned provider, this time for Nacho Fernandes. The German played a short corner to Luka Modric, received the ball back from the Croat, and whipped a low cross into a dangerous area, which Nacho got a foot to and turned in.
Luis Suarez pulled a goal back for Granada before half-time; his shot took a deflection off Nacho and crept past a wrong-footed Thibaut Courtois in the Real goal. Nonetheless, Los Blancos restored their two-goal cushion on the other side of the break.
Karim Benzema, with the ball in his feet inside the opposition box, spotted the run of Modric at the back post and played a pass through to him. Maximiano committed himself to close down the midfielder, who, with a simple pull-back, squared the ball to Vinicius Jr to tap into an empty net.
Things got more difficult for Granada after Monchu was shown a red by the referee. Ferland Mendy compounded the relegation-threatened side’s misery by adding a fourth in the 76th minute. The Frenchman peeled off the shoulder of the last man just as Casemiro sliced open the opposition defence with a through ball. He collected the ball before firing a low shot past the goalkeeper to complete an impressive win.
Top-of-the-table Real Madrid face Sevilla and Athletic Club in back-to-back home ties in the league next, before a trip to title challengers Real Sociedad beckons.
