Real Madrid vs. Real Sociedad: Score, Grades and Reaction from La Liga Match

Real Madrid didn't let the absence of star forward Cristiano Ronaldo slow them down on Saturday, beating David Moyes' Real Sociedad 4-1 at the Bernabeu.

The hosts settled down after a fast start from Sociedad and controlled possession for most of the match, putting in another mature performance to tighten their grip on La Liga's top spot.

Saturday's clash started at a lightning pace, as both teams found the back of the net within the opening four minutes. The Basques started with plenty of attacking intentions and were immediately rewarded, with Aritz Elustondo scoring off a corner in the first minute.

The early score left Nicholas Rigg of AS stunned:

Not to be outdone, the hosts answered immediately with a headed goal of their own. James Rodriguez was left completely unmarked, something ESPN FC's Dermot Corrigan believes won't please manager Moyes:

Sergio Canales nearly made it 2-1 in favor of the visitors a minute later, prodding the ball just past the post after a poor shot from Esteban Granero. Sociedad didn't let up, pushing the Champions League holders back and mustering the better chances.

Their efforts took a hit when Carlos Vela went down with an injury in the 17th minute, however. While the Mexico international tried to play on initially, it quickly became clear the visitors would have to go forward without their top striker. Sport's Samuel Marsden noticed it, too:

Once Vela left the pitch for good, Madrid started to take over. Marcelo continued to find success with overlapping runs, and Gareth Bale was very active playing in Ronaldo's usual slot on the left wing.

Amid some incredible weather—the match saw heavy rain, clear skies and sunshine and even snow at one point—the hosts kept piling on the pressure, but Asier Illarramendi struggled holding things together in midfield, handing his former club plenty of opportunities on the counter-attack.

The league leaders eventually took the lead through Sergio Ramos after 30 minutes. As Infostrada Sports shared, the defender joined a very exclusive club with his third goal of the season:

Los Blancos should have gone into the dressing room with a two-goal advantage, but Bale stole the headlines with two comical misses, including one of the worst plays of the season.

A perfect counter saw Karim Benzema tee the ball up perfectly for Rodriguez, but instead of allowing the Colombian to score his second in front of an open goal, the Wales international intercepted the ball, took too much time gathering it and saw his shot deflected out of play. As Marsden noted, it only added to what was already an odd match:

Bale followed that up by blasting a free-kick so far over the goal it nearly exited the stadium, capping off a wild first half. As one might expect, the 25-year-old was the topic of discussion during half-time. BBC Sport's Andy West didn't make any excuses:

The hosts came out of the dressing room looking to monopolise the ball and keep control of the match, with the pace dropping tremendously in the second half.

Benzema made it 3-1 after 52 minutes, all but extinguishing Sociedad's hopes of grabbing points at the Bernabeu. Bale did the hard work by drawing out the keeper before playing in the France international, somewhat redeeming his earlier misses.

The Welshman continued to steal the headlines, claiming a penalty minutes after the goal before nearly providing Marcelo with the hosts' fourth goal of the afternoon. Sociedad had no answers for Madrid's consistent pressure, and Benzema added to his tally to make it 4-1 with a fantastic strike. The striker was immediately substituted afterward, and Real Madrid TV's Phil Kitromilides was not surprised the Bernabeu rose to their feet in applause:

Bale should have capped off his busy afternoon with a goal of his own, isolated in front of goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli, but somehow, the winger failed to find the target. 

The win means Real now lead Barcelona by four points in the La Liga standings, with the Blaugrana set to host Villarreal on Sunday.

Los Blancos will hold a match in hand after that fixture, however, and judging by their performance on Saturday, the absence of Ronaldo won't hinder the squad too much.

Notable Player Grades

Paul White/Associated Press

Gareth Bale: C+

The winger looked pedestrian at best in the first half, but he redeemed himself in the second, playing less selfish football, to the benefit of his team. The better performance after half-time will mainly be remembered—apart from the horrendous miss—but his total lack of effort or vision in the first shouldn't be forgotten.

Marcelo: B+

The Brazil international thrives in matches like these, hiding some of his deficiencies on the defensive end by bombing forward and routinely overwhelming opponents. After a busy start, Sociedad folded back and allowed the full-back all kinds of space he gladly took advantage of.

Ruben Pardo: B

One of the few visitors able to keep up with Los Blancos after the club's furious start, Pardo made life miserable for Illarramendi throughout the afternoon, showcasing his tantalising potential on the biggest stage.

Post-Match Reaction

Rigg didn't think the hosts were ever troubled:

Sociedad manager Moyes offered some kind words for Bale:

Real Madrid's Carlo Ancelotti also reserved special praise for Benzema: