Real Madrid dominated Elche despite resting some key players and having several more injured. Here are three stars who proved they either deserve better from their teams or from the fans in the 4-1 win.
CM Arda Guler
Real Madrid actually started Thiago Pitarch, but Arda Guler came in around the hour mark and proved why he is one of the finest playmakers in all the land. He created two chances in 30 minutes, scored a goal, and delivered a monstrous performance.
But it was the ball winning that really stood out. He had an insane six tackles in that time span. Guler may not be the biggest, but he has so much heart. And we saw his competitive fire in this one, coming off the bench with an intensity we have not seen in a long time, especially when pressing and winning possession.
CM Fede Valverde
Fede Valverde obviously showed his quality to the world with a sensational hat trick to help Real Madrid get off to an insanely good start in the Champions League Round of 16 against Manchester City, even without Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe.
But if any of his many haters this season thought that was a fluke, he scored again and had another great all around game in midfield. He was creating chances, getting into dangerous scoring positions, and leading by example off the ball.
LB Fran Garcia
Look, for a third choice left back, it does not get much better than Fran Garcia. With Ferland Mendy and Alvaro Carreras in doubt due to injuries for the Man City and Atletico Madrid games, it was vital that Fran reminded Real Madrid fans that he is a decent footballer in his own right, even if he is third choice.
Well, he went out there and had a tremendous game. Fran grabbed an assist and was fantastic on both ends of the pitch, defending intelligently on the flank while producing quality crosses and crisp passes to keep possession ticking over.
Joe Soriano is the editor of The Trivela Effect and a FanSided Hall of Famer who has covered world football since 2010. He’s led top digital communities like The Real Champs (Real Madrid) and has run sites covering Tottenham, Liverpool, Juventus, and Schalke. He also helped manage NFL Spin Zone and Daily DDT, covering the NFL and pro wrestling.