Guedes looks to skip in between a gaggle of white shirts before slipping the ball into the box for Manu Vallejo, but he’s crowded out.
Up the other end, Vázquez crosses to the back post for Benzema, who heads over. He didn’t time his jump quite right; he was on the way down when he made contact with the ball.
Again Madrid come at Valencia, Vázquez sending a ball into the box towards Benzema – who just needs to get a touch and he probably scores. However, Thierry does enough to put him off and, when the ball runs to Modric at the back of the box, he and Mendy get themselves in a muddle and Los Che clear.
Kroos releases Benzema towards the left-hand byline, where the Frenchman gets his foot round the ball to loop a high cross over to Vázquez at the far post, but Ferro gets there before the substitute.
That Carvajal injury doesn’t seem to have knocked Madrid off their stride. They’re in complete control.
Spanish football stats guru Mister Chip notes that Karim Benzema’s opener today is his 181st goal in LaLiga, taking the striker to within one of Sevilla great Juan Arza, whose exploits in the middle of the 20th century put him 13th in the all-time scoring charts in the Spanish top flight.
Modric controls and shoots from range, but the ball bounces back off Thierry. The Croat picks it up again and swings in a cross towards the far post, but out comes Doménech to grab hold.