Madrid: Keylor Navas; Dani Carvajal, Varane, Pepe, Marcelo; Modric, Kroos, Isco (James 60’); Bale (Jesé 46’), Benzema (Kovacic 65’), Ronaldo. 4-3-3.
Sporting: Cuéllar; Lora, Luis Hernández, Jorge Meré, Isma López; Sergio Alvarez (Rachid 61‘), Nacho Cases; Jony, Halilovic (Dani Ndi 46’), Alex Menéndez; Guerrero (Sanabria 73‘). 4-2-3-1.
Goals:
1-0. 07. Bale. Angled near post header across Cuéllar from Kroos corner.
2-0. 09. Ronaldo. Picked up Benzema pass and struck shot on turn past Cuéllar.
3-0. 12. Benzema. Acrobatic scissors kick wide of keeper from Bale centre
4-0. 18. Ronaldo. Got on the end of Carvajal centre to turn shot past keeper.
5-0. 41. Benzema. Poked shot past keeper after Isco passed ball over to him.
5-1. 62. Isma López. Fired low shot past Navas after Jony laid ball across.
Yellow cards: Guerrero 49’, Modric 57’.
Real Madrid consolidated third spot with a 5-1 victory over Sporting Gijón on Sunday afternoon, the result keeping them two points below second placed Barcelona. Zidane’s side went four up in less than twenty minutes, Bale starting things off with a header from a Kroos corner, and Ronaldo making it two with an impressive shot on the turn. Seen afterwards Benzema scored the third with an acrobatic scissors kick, and Ronaldo got on the end of a Dani Carvajal cross to make it four. Later in the first half Benzema saw another shot deflected over the bar, and Cuéllar had to save from Pepe, and with four minutes to go to the break Benzema picked up Isco’s pass to score his second of the game. With the points in the bag Madrid relaxed after the break, and Isma López got one back on the hour mark. A second five goal haul for the new coach, although he will not be happy that he lost Bale and Benzema to injuries later on.