Real Madrid 4 - Espanyol 0

Madrid: Casillas; Cicinho, Mejía, Woodgate, Roberto Carlos; Gravesen (Pablo García 46'); Beckham (Baptista 80'), Guti (Cassano 65'), Zidane, Robinho; Ronaldo. 4-1-4-1.
Espanyol: Gorka Iraizoz; Armando Sá, Moisés Hurtado, Jarque, David García; Edu Costa, Ito; Zabaleta (Luis García 64'), Corominas (Pandiani 80'), De la Peña (Domi 59'); Tamudo. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Madrid: Mejía, Woodgate, Ronaldo for Iván Helguera, Sergio Ramos, Baptista / Espanyol: Armando Sá, David García, Zabaleta, Corominas for Lopo, Domi, Juanfran, Luis García.

Goals:
1-0. 14. Guti. Got ahead of marker to turn Beckham's low cross past Gorka.
2-0. 43. Zidane. Side foot half volley after Roberto Carlos laid ball back.
3-0. 45. Ronaldo. Directed header down across keeper from Cicinho cross.
4-0. 51. Zidane. Controlled pass from Cicinho and curled long shot past Gorka.

Real Madrid clocked up their seventh win in a row, beating Espanyol 4-0 to stay within a point of second placed Valencia. It was another blow for Lotina's side, who had let in five against Getafe in their last visit to the capital a couple of weeks ago.

Guti started things off when he turned in Beckham's cross on the quarter hour mark, and Gorka had to be at his best to keep out a chipped shot from Beckham and an effort from close up by Ronaldo, who was returning to the side after an injury.

With two minutes to go to the break though Zidane added a second with a cool half volley after Roberto Carlos laid the ball in from the by-line, and before the half time whistle Ronaldo had made it three with a well directed header from Cicinho's cross.

In between Gravesen had been lucky to stay on the park after referee Mejuto González let him off a second booking following an aggressive tackle on Edu Costa. The Danish midfielder was clearly agitated, and coach López Caro, not wanting to take any risks, replaced him with Pablo García at the break.

The goals continued after the break, with Zidane catching Gorka off guard with a long shot to make it four. Tamudo had a chance at the other end when he was pulled up for a borderline offside, and Woodgate had a header cleared off the line by Jarque with the keeper beaten.

Madrid continued to look for more, Mejía firing over the bar from a couple of yards out, Backham heading the ball past the keeper only to run out of space, and Robinho firing a late effort just wide.

The game was over by then though, and both sides had turned their thought to their midweek cup semi-finals well before Mejuto blew the final whistle. They could meet in the final, but Lotina will be hoping that his possible opponents if his side does get through will be Zaragoza rather than the Galacticos based on this performance.