BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Federico Valverde kept up his scoring run by notching his fifth goal in three games to help Real Madrid beat Elche 4-1 in the Spanish league on Saturday, with Arda Güler adding a spectacular late goal from well inside his own half.
The Uruguay midfielder scored with a right-footed curling strike that he took from the edge of area to double Madrid’s lead just before halftime.
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Real Madrid's Arda Guler celebrates with Real Madrid's head coach Alvaro Arbeloa after scoring his side's fourth goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Elche CF, in Madrid, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Real Madrid's Federico Valverde celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Elche CF, in Madrid, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Real Madrid's Federico Valverde, left, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Elche CF, in Madrid, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Real Madrid's Federico Valverde celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Elche CF, in Madrid, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
That came three days after Valverde’s memorable hat trick in a 3-0 win over Manchester City in the first game of their Champions League round-of-16 matchup. Prior to that, Valverde’s last-gasp goal earned a 2-1 win at Celta Vigo in the previous La Liga round.
The 27-year-old Valverde has been a key player for Madrid for several years now, with a reputation for being a workhorse in the midfield as well as providing a powerful long-distance strike from open play and free kicks.
But he has stepped up his scoring recently, scoring all seven of his goals this season since the turn of the year, and just when Madrid needed help in that department with Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham sidelined with injuries.
“I am not surprised because I know what Federico Valverde is capable of,” Madrid forward Brahim Díaz said. “It’s an honor to have him as a teammate, I am sure if he keeps shooting he will score many more goals.”
The game against Elche also featured a memorable goal by Güler, who scored Madrid’s fourth goal in the 89th minute when he successfully lobbed a shot from more than 10 yards inside his team’s own half. Elche goalkeeper Matías Dituro could only watch as it sailed overhead and into his net.
The victory at the Santiago Bernabeu kept Madrid within one point of leader Barcelona before it hosts Sevilla on Sunday.
Antonio Rudiger opened the scoring in the 39th when he volleyed in a clearance resulting from a free kick by Valverde. Dean Huijsen made it 3-0 before Madrid’s youth player Manuel Ángel scored an own goal.
Madrid travels to England on Tuesday to play City in their second game with the 15-time European Cup winners eyeing a spot in the Champions League quarterfinals.
Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa said that Mbappé remains doubtful for the second leg of the City tie.
“We will give him a go tomorrow,” Arbeloa said, indicating that the striker would return to team training on Monday.
Mbappé hasn’t played since Feb. 21 because of a left knee problem that has been bothering him since December.
Atletico Madrid got an early goal from wingback Nahuel Molina and held on for a 1-0 win over 10-man Getafe to remain in a distant third place.
Getafe defender Abdel Abqar was sent off with a direct red card in the 55th for pinching the genitals of Atletico’s Alexander Sorloth. Abqar said that he didn’t intend to do so.
Also, last-place Real Oviedo kept alive its hopes of avoiding relegation by beating Valencia 1-0, while Girona beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0 at home.
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Real Madrid's Arda Guler celebrates with Real Madrid's head coach Alvaro Arbeloa after scoring his side's fourth goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Elche CF, in Madrid, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Real Madrid's Federico Valverde celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Elche CF, in Madrid, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Real Madrid's Federico Valverde, left, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Elche CF, in Madrid, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Real Madrid's Federico Valverde celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Elche CF, in Madrid, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Stocks wavered on Wall Street Friday and oil prices eased ahead of planned U.S.-Iran talks following a shaky ceasefire agreement.
The S&P 500 fell 0.1% in afternoon trading, on pace for a weekly loss. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 271 points, or 0.6%, as of 3:21 p.m. Eastern. The Nasdaq composite rose 0.4%.
Major indexes have been gaining ground over the last two weeks amid optimism that the war with Iran could be heading toward a resolution. The S&P 500 has erased most of its losses from March and is just 2.3% short of its all-time high set in January. The market is still prone to big swings on developments around the war.
Trading on Wall Street remained choppy. Most companies in the benchmark S&P 500 were losing ground, with health care stocks driving much of the decline. Eli Lilly and Co. fell 1.8% and Johnson & Johnson slid 1.3% lower.
Technology stocks with hefty values helped offset losses elsewhere. Nvidia rose 3% and Broadcom rose 5.3%.
Markets in Asia gained ground while markets in Europe were mixed.
Oil prices have been behind many of the stock market’s sharp movements. Oil prices have surged as shipping through the vital Strait of Hormuz essentially stalled since the war began.
Brent crude oil, the international standard, has gone from roughly $70 per barrel before the war in late February to more than $119 at times. Brent for June delivery fell 0.8% to $95.20 per barrel Friday.
A barrel of U.S. crude oil for May delivery dropped 1.3% to $96.57.
Negotiators from Iran and the U.S. are preparing for high-level talks on Saturday. The situation remains uncertain. Iran’s semiofficial Tasnim news agency claimed that talks wouldn’t happen unless Israel stopped its attacks in Lebanon.
The conflict is behind surging inflation in the U.S. in March. The government reported the biggest spike in inflation in four years as prices at the gas pump jumped. But, the inflation increase was just short of what economists expected.
Bond yields held mostly steady following the latest inflation update. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.31% from 4.29% late Thursday.
Inflation has been a lingering concern for economists. Prices on a range of consumer goods and services are already stubbornly high, in part from the impact of extensive global tariffs. Higher gas prices are immediately felt by drivers at the pump, but they could eventually raise prices on everything from food to airfare as companies pass along higher costs for shipping and fuel.
Analysts are warning that there might be a drawn out impact from the oil supply shock in the months ahead.
“While I’m glad to see the effects to be less than expected in March, the effects in April are now more likely to be worse,” Jamie Cox, managing partner for Harris Financial Group, wrote in a research note.
Consumer sentiment slumped 10.7% percent in April, according to a closely watched monthly survey from the University of Michigan. It also shows that consumers are growing more worried about inflation, with year-ahead expectations surging to 4.8% in April from 3.8% in March.
Inflation remains a major concern for the Federal Reserve, which has signaled more caution amid worries about inflation reheating. The rate of inflation remains above the central bank's 2% target. The threat of rising inflation will likely mean the central bank continues to hold interest rates steady. Several Fed officials have also said a rate hike may be needed if inflation doesn’t cool.
Lower interest rates help boost stocks and other investments by lowering borrowing costs. Interest rate cuts also risk worsening inflation.
Bobby Charmak works on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
John Mauro works on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Philip Finale works on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Currency traders work near a screen showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), top center, and the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollar and South Korean won, top center left, at the foreign exchange dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters, in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, April 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
Currency traders work near a screen showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), top center, and the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollar and South Korean won, top center left, at the foreign exchange dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters, in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, April 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
A screen showing Asia markets indexes at the foreign exchange dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters, in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, April 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
Currency traders stretch near a screen showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), right, and the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollar and South Korean won at the foreign exchange dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters, in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, April 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
