Real Madrid 4 - Oviedo 0

Real Madrid: Casillas; Geremi, Hierro, Karanka, Roberto Carlos; Figo (Guti 77'), Iván Helguera, Makelele, Savio (McManaman 64'); Raúl, Morientes (Munitis 64'). 4-4-2.
Oviedo: Esteban; Keita, Danjou, Boris, Rabarivony; Martinovic (Paunovic 56'); Amieva, Onopko, Tomic, Iván Ania (Rubén Reyes 66'); Oli (Ivo 74'). 4-4-2.

Team changes: Madrid: No change / Oviedo: Rabarivony, Amieva for Oscar Pérez, Rubén.

Goals:
1-0. 14. Figo. From close up after Morientes beat Martinovic and squared from left.
2-0. 55. Morientes. Beat defender and shot after Raúl headed down Hierro pass.
3-0. 69. Munitis. Through keeper's legs after Raúl lobbed pass over defence.
4-0. 86. McManaman. First time volley after long pass from Roberto Carlos.

It was a festival of football in the Bernabeu stadium on Sunday night. First of all there was an all star presentation for Luis Figo, European footballer of the year, attended by some of the biggest names in the game. Then Real Madrid put on a display in front of the watching celebrities, running out four goal winners against the league's fall guys Real Oviedo. Madrid had made a big show of Figo's award, inviting several previous winners of France Football's 'balon d'or', including Portugal's last winner Eusebio, Alfredo Di Stéfano who was the last Real Madrid player to win the trophy, and Sir Bobby Charlton. Joseph Blatter, president of FIFA, was also present representing the world footballing authorities.

If there was any concern that the ceremony would affect the football, the doubts were soon dissipated as Real Madrid opened the scoring early on. And who else was there to finish the move off after Morientes had won the ball on the left but the man of the moment himself, Luis Figo, slotting the ball coolly into the net for his seventh of the season in all competitions. The crowd rose to applaud him, sure now that their team would win their eighth match in a row to confirm their recent good form. But the last time they achieved that was in 1991 when their manager was none other than Radomir Antic, now sitting in the opposite dug-out in charge of Oviedo, and he was not going to give up his record without a fight. A wily old bird is Antic, and he surprised everyone changing the line up he has used all season to bring in an extra defender, with Martinovic playing in front of the back four and Oli alone up front. That stumped Del Bosque's men, and Casillas had to save from Iván Ania shortly after Figo's goal. Gradually though Madrid started to create openings, and five minutes before half time Savio drove a vicious shot against the crossbar, the ball bouncing down off the goal line and up in the air, but Morientes failed to take advantage of the rebound.

Just before half time Losantos Omar gave a rare display of good refereeing, calming down a heated situation between Onopko and Roberto Carlos and deciding not to show yellow cards which would have meant the expulsion of the Russian midfielder who had already been booked. Then ten minutes into the second half Morientes made it two, Raúl heading on Hierro's long pass and then taking two defenders with him as he ran off the ball like a top NFL running back. Antic was forced to change his formation, and sacrificed Martinovic to put on his new signing Paunovic. That left space at the back, and Del Bosque replied putting on two fresh men, Munitis and McManaman to run at the defence. By now the crowd were enjoying the display, and for the last 30 minutes Madrid moved up a couple of gears. Raúl set up Munitis to score only his second for his new club through Esteban's legs, and then tested Spain's second choice keeper (number one was at the other end) twice with shots which Esteban stood up to and blocked well.

It was one touch football, but the best was left to the end. Roberto Carlos crossed from the left and McManaman, who hadn't scored since the Champions League final in May, leapt off the ground and met the ball with a high volley. The ball flew off his right foot and arched past a despairing Esteban into the net, bringing the crowd once again to their feet, and even drawing a wry smile from Sir Bobby and his wife. The hankies came out and the fans celebrated. Madrid were back on top of the pile, and ended the day three points in front of Valencia, who had in any case handed them the lead on goal average the day before. With a game still in hand they are already being touted as favourites for the league, and on this form who would bet against them. Oviedo went home empty handed, and they have set a new record having gone the first half of the season without scoring a single goal away from home. Luckily their good home record keeps them in thirteenth place for now. On the coach home there was only one smiling face, 12 year old Borja Diéquez. Antic, dressed as king Melchior in the traditional 'reyes' three kings procession in Oviedo (Spain's equivalent if you like of father Christmas), had promised him that he would take him along with the squad to the game. He came away with the shirts of Hierro and Roberto Carlos. Next year Antic will ask for the three points instead.