Real Madrid returned to the top of La Liga with a comfortable 2-0 victory over struggling Granada.
Los Blancos started the day in first place but dropped to second for a matter of hours after Girona’s earlier 2-1 win over Valencia.
Germany midfielder Toni Kroos provided an excellent pass to set up Brahim Diaz for the opener on 26 minutes.
The win was secured after 57 minutes when Rodrygo powered home the rebound after Jude Bellingham’s shot was saved.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side have now won five consecutive games in all competitions and are unbeaten at the Bernabeu this season, despite missing a host of players, including Vinicius Jr, Luka Modric and Eduardo Camavinga, through injury.
They are top of the league on goal difference ahead of Girona, who beat Valencia thanks to two late goals from ex-Middlesbrough striker Cristhian Stuani, while Granada remain 19th with only one win from their opening 15 league matches.
Bellingham and Antonio Rudiger were both yellow carded for showing their frustration to the referee after 22 minutes as they asked for a free-kick for a trip on the in-form midfielder which was not given.
The hosts took the lead with an excellently worked goal – effectively a one-two – but owed much to an excellent return pass by Kroos which found the run of Diaz behind the Granada defence and the 24-year-old took a touch before finishing.
Diaz was involved again three minutes before half-time with a deft backheel to set Bellingham through on goal but the England star’s goalscoring touch deserted him as he scuffed a shot wide.
They doubled their lead through another well-constructed goal as Joselu’s flick put Diaz into space and his cross found Bellingham whose shot was well saved, only for the ball to drop to Rodrygo to grab his sixth league goal of the season.
