The Japan Times - Real Madrid rout Elche with Guler 70-yard strike, Atletico triumph

Los Blancos, second, cut the gap on Barcelona at the top of La Liga to a point before the Catalans host Sevilla on Sunday.

Atletico Madrid, third, scraped a 1-0 win over Getafe, with the visitors reduced to 10 men when Abdel Abqar was sent off for touching Alexander Sorloth in a sensitive area.

Uruguayan midfielder Valverde, who scored a sensational hat-trick against Manchester City in the Champions League in midweek, whipped the ball into the top corner before half-time after Antonio Rudiger blasted the hosts ahead.

Dean Huijsen headed home the third for Alvaro Arbeloa's side, who visit Man City on Tuesday aiming to reach the Champions League quarter-finals.

The goal of the night, though, was scored by Turkish playmaker Guler late on, who spotted Elche goalkeeper Matias Dituro off his line and lobbed home from near the centre circle.

"He hit the bar (from there in another game) and today he pulled it off, what a goal," Madrid forward Brahim Diaz told Real Madrid TV.

"Everyone had their hands on their head... it's worth buying a ticket to see that goal," added Arbeloa.

Arbeloa was able to rest several of the players that started after the break, including Vinicius Junior and Valverde, bringing on a host of youngsters to keep legs fresh.

Madrid are still without a host of injured stars including Jude Bellingham, while French striker Kylian Mbappe could return from a knee sprain next week.

"We've still got room to improve, the players' commitment is exceptional," a happy Arbeloa told reporters after the convincing win.

Elche, 17th, slumped to an 11th consecutive league game without a victory and could finish the weekend in the relegation zone.

Madrid were on a high after defeating City and although Elche showed some resistance at first, they were gradually unpicked.

After Dituro saved Valverde's free-kick, Elche could not clear the rebound effectively and German centre-back Rudiger rifled home in the 39th minute.

Valverde added a second before the break, opening up an angle on the edge of the box and guiding the ball into the top corner for his fifth goal in his last three appearances.

Madrid were cruising and Arbeloa -- a former coach at youth level within the club -- brought on several young players, including Daniel Yanez.

The 18-year-old winger set up Madrid's third with a fine cross which Huijsen nodded home.

"Yanez and (Diego) Aguado are two of the first players I coached when they were 13, 14 years old, to be able to bring them on in the Bernabeu for me is a dream come true," said Arbeloa.

Another one of Madrid's substitutes, Manuel Angel, put through his own net as he tried to cut a ball out with five minutes to go.

However Guler restored Madrid's advantage from inside his own territory with a shot that flew high over Dituro and sank into the net.

- Abqar's dismissal -

Nahuel Molina's thunderbolt from distance helped Atletico cut the gap to the top two, but the bizarre incident early in the second half involving Getafe defender Abqar was the biggest talking point.

The Moroccan, who insisted he did not mean to touch the Atletico striker's crotch, appeared to pinch the Norwegian, who threw him to the floor angrily.

"It was not my intention to touch the player in this area," Abqar, who was dismissed after a VAR review, told Movistar.

"You see it in very game, and in football, we're touching, clashing and everything, but I never thought about touching him in that area... I swear."

Abqar said he was trying to touch Sorloth's stomach.

Atletico coach Diego Simeone rotated his line-up ahead of Wednesday's Champions League trip to Tottenham, but was still able to secure a sixth win in the last seven matches across all competitions.

The Rojiblancos moved two points above Villarreal, who drew at Alaves on Friday.

Defender Molina's superb strike, lashed into the top corner from over 25 yards out after eight minutes, was enough to split the teams, with Atletico surviving a second-half onslaught.

Elsewhere Real Oviedo grabbed a rare win, beating Valencia 1-0 but staying bottom of the table, while Girona thrashed Athletic Bilbao 3-0.

Y.Mori--JT