Two games under Zinedine Zidane -- 10 goals scored -- Real Madrid is thriving with its former galactico at the helm.
Tougher tests surely await than lowly Sporting Gijon, dispatched 5-1 Sunday at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, with the star-studded striking triumvirate of Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo all on the score sheet.
Los Blancos beat Deportivo la Coruna 5-0 at home last weekend in Zidane's managerial bow and this scoreline looked set to be surpassed as Gijon shipped five goals in a breathless first half.
But Bale, scorer of the headed opener, his 13th in La Liga this season, limped off just before the break, with Benzema joining him on the sidelines in the second half.
With two of the "BBC" frontline out of the frame, Real lost momentum and Isma Lopez scored a fine second half consolation goal for Gijon.
But the real damage was done in the first half as Bale's goal was followed by doubles from both Benzema, taking his tally to 20 in 19 appearances, and Ronaldo.
Beaten to World Player of the Year honors by Lionel Messi last week, Ronaldo scored a spectacular second for Real from Benzema's through ball.
Benzema volleyed home spectacularly for his opener before both men completed their brace before the half was over.
Since the 0-4 home reverse to Barcelona in El Clasico, which was a major factor in costing Rafael Benitez his job, Real has scored 35 goals in six home matches.
"We played very well in the first-half. We were concentrated and up for the game from the start. We prepared well and are happy with how the match went," said Zidane.
"Karim just has a knock, which isn't so bad. Gareth is a little more complicated because it is his calf and in his left leg which is a problem.
"He will have a scan tomorrow and we hope it is nothing serious."
But the scale of Real's task in overhauling Barcelona and current leader Atletico Madrid was underlined by later results Sunday.
Atletico assured it would stay top with a 3-0 win at Las Palmas, with Antoine Griezmann on target again with a double, before Barcelona trumped Real's earlier victory with a 6-0 rout of Athletic Bilbao in the Nou Camp.
Athletic had goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz sent off for bringing down Luis Suarez in the early moments, the prelude to a chastening evening against the reigning champion side in Spain and Europe.
Messi celebrated his fifth Ballon d'Or by converting from the spot, but thereafter it was Suarez who took the plaudits, completing his hat-trick near the end, his 29th goal in all competitions this season for the Uruguayan.
Neymar and Ivan Rakitic scored the other Barca goals, which leaves the Catalans two points adrift of Atletico but with a game in hand. Real is trailing by four points in a three-way title race.
Earlier, Gary Neville's Valencia was unable to snap his six-game streak without a win since taking charge at the Mestella, Los Che held to a 2-2 home draw by lowly Ray Vallecano.
Valencia twice had to come from behind to the relegation battlers with Alvaro Negredo's stunning strike from just inside the Rayo half and Paco Alcacer's late equalizer canceling out goals from Jozabed and Diego Llorente for Rayo.
(СNN)
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