In a match which saw Xabi Alonso’s side frail at the back throughout, Elche twice took the lead in the second half with a fantastic back-heel from German Valera setting up skipper Aleix Febas to put them in front eight minutes after the break.

The equaliser came when Bellingham won an aerial challenge from a corner delivered by Trent Alexander-Arnold, starting his first game since September, and the ball dropped for defender Dean Huijsen to poke home.

It looked like Real would go on to take all three points but former Real striker, Alvaro Rodriguez minutes after coming on, restored the home side’s advantage with a fine run and shot though Thibaut Courtois will be disappointed to let in an effort which was a good distance from the corner.

The lead would only last three minutes as Bellingham, after seeing his initial effort parried, ran on to turn home the ball which Kylian Mbappe just managed to keep in play.

The win puts Real a point clear at the top above Barcelona, while Elche rise to 11th.

Robert Lewandowski scored twice against the league’s bottom side to help Barca leapfrog Real Madrid in the standings by a single point, for one evening at least. Real take on fierce rivals Atletico Madrid on Sunday.

The result for Elche, meanwhile, means they remain rooted to the bottom of the table on just one point after match where their captain and manager got sent off.

Barcelona dominated from the first minute and a real breakthrough for the hosts came in the 14th minute when Elche’s captain Gonzalo Verdu was shown a straight red card for rugby tackling Lewandowski as he looked set to be clear through on goal.

Barca deservedly took the lead in the 34th minute through the in-form Pole. Alejandro Balde’s low driven ball across the goalmouth was tapped in by the striker at the far post for his tenth goal of the season in all competitions.

The hosts extended their advantage four minutes before the break when Memphis Depay spun his marker John Chetauya inside the box before smashing his shot into the roof of the net.

Barca had the ball in the net again moments later through Pedri, but Lewandowski was offside in the build-up. Nevertheless, Elche boss Francisco Rodriguez was furious and was subsequently sent off by referee Alejandro Ruiz.

Lewandowski got his second and Barca’s third shortly after the break. In the 48th minute, Ousmane Dembele’s low cross was not cleared properly at the near post. The ball squirmed out to Depay who laid it off for Lewandowski to fire in.

Ronald Araujo came closest to getting a fourth for Barca, but his acrobatic scissor-kick volley from two yards out following a corner flied just wide of the post.

Trailing at the break to Fidel’s opener, Barca boss Xavi sent on Torres and the former Manchester City man equalised with an instinctive finish.

He could have scored more but found Elche keeper Edgar Badia in fine form.

However, fellow sub Memphis Depay won and converted a late penalty to fire Barca up to third in La Liga.

The Catalan giants have scored four times in four of their last six games, with January signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang netting in each of his four La Liga games.

However, he was well shackled here as Barca initially struggled to impose themselves and Elche led at the breakthrough Fidel’s fine finish.

The second-half arrival of Torres changed the impetus and he was immediately involved, cleverly turning home Jordi Alba’s knockdown and forcing Badia into a series of excellent saves.

Aubameyang was sacrificed for Depay and the Dutchman pressurised Antonio Barragan into a handball in the box, with a penalty subsequently awarded after the referee checked the pitchside monitor.

Depay himself blasted home the penalty to secure three vital points and move Barca above Real Betis, who host fifth-placed Atletico later.

Sergio Ramos returned to the Real Madrid starting lineup having missed a number of weeks through injury with the 34-year-old being a reassuring influence at the back for the defending Spanish champions.

A lowkey, verging on flat, first half saw few goalscoring opportunities created by either side although Edgar Badia was called upon to make saves from Ferland Mendy and Karim Benzema.

However, the breakthrough came on the hour mark as Dani Calvo got on the end of an Antonio Barragan corner kick delivery into the box, powering a header in off the underside of the crossbar.

Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Rodrygo were all introduced off the bench as Zidane sought a way back into the match and the equaliser came through Benzema who headed home a Modric cross with 15 minutes remaining.

Casemiro had a couple good opportunities to bag a winner, but spurned them. However, Benzema was ruthless as he scored a stoppage-time winner, playing a one-two with Rodrygo before lashing home a finish.

The result means Real Madrid move above Barcelona into second place in La Liga, with the defending champions closing the gap on leaders Atletico Madrid to three points.