Real Madrid 5 - Alavés 2

Real Madrid: Casillas; Miñambres, Hierro, Iván Helguera, Roberto Carlos; Makelele (McManaman 76'), Cambiasso; Figo, Portillo (Solari 63'), Zidane; Guti (Ronaldo 63'). 4-2-3-1.
Alavés: Dutruel; Edu Alonso, Abelardo, Ochoa (Rubén Navarro 70'), Téllez, Llorens; Astudillo, Desio, Pablo (Luis Helguera 67'), Magno (Ilie 63'); Iván Alonso. 5-4-1.

Team changes: Madrid: Miñambres, Iván Helguera, Portillo for Salgado, Pavón, Raúl / Alavés: Ochoa for Geli.

Goals:
1-0. 02. Zidane. Cut in past Abelardo from left wing and fired shot into top corner.
2-0. 31. Figo (penalty). After Abelardo backed into Portillo.
2-1. 37. Magno. Following up after Casillas saved Iván Alonso header.
3-1. 64. Ronaldo. Controlled R. Carlos pass on chest and volleyed past keeper.
4-1. 72. Figo. Beat offside trap to run on to Miñambres pass and score.
5-1. 79. Ronaldo. Received pass from McManaman and shot across Dutruel.
5-2. 85. Iván Alonso. Ran on to Ilie pass to turn ball past Casillas.

Ronaldo is back! After a six year absence the Brazilian star has returned to Spain, and what an impact he made. After much speculation he finally played his first minutes for Real Madrid, and within 30 seconds of coming on as substitute he had already scored. The World Cup top scorer was not expected to be included in Del Bosque's squad as he was not thought to be match fit, but injuries to Morientes and Raúl meant that he was called up, even though it was Portillo who started the match alongside Guti in attack.

However with just over an hour gone and with the visitors threatening to draw level, the manager decided to bring him on. There was a buzz of excitement in the ground, and almost with his first touch he controlled a Roberto Carlos cross on his chest and bounced a shot past Dutruel into the net. It was a fairy story start, and he even added to his legend a quarter of an hour later when he ran on to McManaman's through ball to place a shot across the keeper for his second and Madrid's fifth of the night.

Ronaldo apart it was still a comfortable victory for the European Champions, although they did have a hiccough or two in the middle of the game. With so many stars in the side though there is always someone who will make the difference, and it was Zidane who put them in front in only the second minute with a spectacular goal, cutting in from the left wing to bend a shot into the far top corner of the net. Then it was Figo who added a second from the penalty spot on the half hour mark when referee Undiano Mallenco ruled that Abelardo had tripped Portillo, although the defender can feel himself hard done by as he was stepping backwards to play the ball and didn't even see the young striker behind him.

The wheels fell off a bit though and Magno pulled one back before the break, following up after Casillas could only palm away Iván Alonso's header. Alonso himself should have scored early in the second half when Alavés were awarded a penalty for a foul by Makelele on Téllez, but his soft kick was easily saved by Casillas (he was criticised by his team mates later on for not letting regular penalty taker Llorens take it).

But from then on it was Ronaldo's show, with permission that is from Figo who got his second goal in between the Brazilian's double act after Miñambres put him through. Mané brought on Iván Helguera's brother Luis for his first league appearance, and Iván Alonso made up in part for his penalty miss by beating Casillas in the end. But there was only one name in the sporting press headlines this week, you know who.