Granada: Roberto; Nyom, Babin, Murillo, Juan Carlos; Foulquier, Iturra, Eddy (Javi Márquez 46’), Sissoko; Success (El-Arabi 50‘), Córdoba (Rochina 65‘). 4-4-2.
Madrid: Casillas; Dani Carvajal (Arbeloa 38‘), Pepe, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo; Modric (Khedira 76‘), Kroos; James, Cristiano Ronaldo, Isco (Illarramendi 83’); Benzema. 4-2-3-1.
Goals:
0-1. 02. Ronaldo. Picked up Benzema pass and struck shot wide of Roberto.
0-2. 31. James. Volleyed shot into roof of net from Benzema’s flicked pass.
0-3. 54. Benzema. Collected Ronaldo back-heel pass and shot past keeper.
0-4. 87. James. Forced ball over line off Babin after Ronaldo scuffed shot.
Yellow cards: Eddy 39’, Modric 43’, Arbeloa 92’.
Real Madrid moved to the top of the table pending Sevilla’s game on Sunday after a comfortable 0-4 victory at Granada on Saturday afternoon, an eleventh straight win for Ancelotti’s side. With only two minutes gone Ronaldo gave them the lead, beating Roberto with an angled shot after Carvajal and Benzema combined to set him up, and James, Benzema and Carvajal all went close before James fired home a spectacular second on the half hour mark, a first time volley after Benzema flicked the ball up in to the air following a throw-in. Córdoba tried his luck a couple of times for the locals either side of half time, but some ten minutes in to the second half Benzema latched on to Ronaldo’s back-heel pass to make it three. Marcelo hit the crossbar after that and then fired another shot over the top, and Roberto had to make saves from James and Arbeloa. Local substitute Rochina did cause a few problems in the closing minutes, and Casillas had to make a late save from Javi Márquez. But with three minutes to go James wrapped things up with his second of the afternoon, bundling the ball over the line with a little help from Babín after Ronaldo’s half-hit shot rolled towards the line, and the Merengues were back on top of the pack.