La Liga Review: Real Madrid, Elche win big

There was no joy for the sides in the relegation mix in La Liga on Wednesday, with Real Madrid and Elche dishing out thrashings.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men dispatched with Almeria 3-0, with James Rodriguez and Alvaro Arbeloa goals coming either side of an own goal from Mauro dos Santos.

Three is the fewest number of goals Almeria have conceded against Real in their past five meetings, with the Santiago Bernabeu outfit putting in 24 goals to Almeria’s two in that stretch.

Real’s win saw them move back to within two points of Barcelona with four games to play, and Rodriguez’s 44th-minute opener was their 100th goal for the league season.

The loss left Almeria (17th, 31 points) just two points above the bottom three, but relegation rivals Eibar and Deportivo La Coruna were not in luck either in their midweek fixtures.

Eibar (16th, 31 points) were humbled 3-1 at home to Sevilla, with a quick-fire Carlos Bacca brace helping send the latter into fourth in the standings.

Tucked inside the drop zone are Deportivo, stuck on 29 points after being thrashed 4-0 away at Elche.

Jonathas and David Lomban struck in the first half for Elche, before Mario Pasalic and Garry Rodrigues second-half goals sealed the points.

Posting narrow late wins were Celta Vigo and Atletico Madrid.

Atletico consolidated third place and the final UEFA Champions League group spot in Spain, with a 1-0 victory at Villarreal.

Fernando Torres’ 74th-minute goal was the difference for the champions.

Celta left it even later, with Nolito’s 89th-minute winner sending them past Malaga 1-0.