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Real Madrid v Deportivo de La Coruña

Real Madrid 5

Benzema 15′, 90′ Bale 22′, 49′, 63′

Deportivo de La Coruña 0

FT 90 +2
HT 2-0

Gareth Bale has scored eight goals in his last four appearances

Gareth Bale scored a hat-trick as Zinedine Zidane launched his reign as Real Madrid boss with a comprehensive win over Deportivo La Coruna.

Karim Benzema claimed his 100th league goal for the club with a disputed early opener in the first game since the departure of ex-manager Rafa Benitez.

Bale headed the second and found the bottom corner after the break before sealing his treble with another header.

Benzema hit a fifth to leave Real two points behind league leaders Barcelona.

Zidane’s side could have enjoyed a bigger winning margin, with Cristiano Ronaldo heading against the post in the first half.

Barca’s

comfortable 4-0 victory

over Granada put added pressure on Real at the outset of the Zidane era, and they could have been behind before Benzema opened the scoring.

Deportivo had lost just once in nine league games and started confidently, carving the Real defence wide open to create a chance for Lucas Perez, but his shot was blocked by goalkeeper Keylor Navas.

Real made the most of their escape, and were two goals up inside the first quarter of the contest.

Former France and Real star Zinedine Zidane (left) is the Spanish giant’s new manager

From Toni Kroos’s 15th minute corner, Benzema flicked home a Sergio Ramos shot, despite Deportivo’s justifiable claims that Bale was offside and interfering with play.

Bale doubled the advantage in the 23rd minute, heading home an inviting Dani Carvajal cross.

It was almost three before the interval as Ronaldo headed a Bale cross against a post at the culmination of another flowing team move.

Ronaldo turned provider after the break to pick out Bale, who coolly picked his spot from the edge of the area.

A richly-deserved hat-trick arrived in the 64th minute thanks to another imperious leap to head home from close range.

It was Bale’s last significant contribution before he was substituted to a standing ovation from a 70,000 crowd, while Ronaldo twice went close to making it five late on.

Benzema did just that in stoppage time, following up to find the net off the underside of the bar after Ronaldo had again been denied.

Lineup, Bookings (3) & Substitutions (6)

Real Madrid

01 Navas
15 Carvajal
03 Pepe
04 Ramos (Varane – 45′ )
12 Marcelo
08 Kroos
19 Modric
11 Bale (Jesé – 74′ )
22 Isco (Rodríguez – 66′ )
07 Ronaldo
09 Benzema

Substitutes

02 Varane
10 Rodríguez
13 Casilla
14 Casemiro
18 Vázquez
20 Jesé
23 Danilo

Deportivo de La Coruña

01 Lux Booked
11 Juanfran
14 Arribas Booked
12 da Silva Junior
03 Navarro Corbacho (Correia Pinto – 66′ )
04 Bergantiños García
05 Mosquera Booked
17 Nicolás Cartabia (Gutiérrez – 45′ )
21 Luis Alberto
19 Fajr (Riera Magem – 66′ )
07 Pérez Martínez

Substitutes

09 Riera Magem
10 Domínguez Lamas
15 Sanabria Ruiz
16 Correia Pinto
23 Lopo
24 Gutiérrez
25 Fernández Muñiz

Ref: Pedro Jesús Pérez Montero

Att: 71,267

Match Stats

Possession

54

46

Shots

23

18

On target

9

4

Corners

5

9

Fouls

9

8

Live Text Commentary

Full time

Full Time Match ends, Real Madrid 5, Deportivo de La Coruña 0.

90:00 +1:20 Full time

Full Time Second Half ends, Real Madrid 5, Deportivo de La Coruña 0.

90:00 +0:16 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Real Madrid 5, Deportivo de La Coruña 0. Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Cristiano Ronaldo.