Cristiano Ronaldo scores twice but leaves last-minute penalty to Karim Benzema as Real Madrid rout Alaves
All of the 'BBC' scored as Madrid clicked back into form at home to the Vitoria club
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Zinedine Zidane gave Gareth Bale a start and he completed his first 90 minutes since September as Real Madrid trounced Alaves 4-0, halting the Vitoria club's climb up the table.
But while Bale and his 'BBC' counterparts Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema all found the net in this scintillating win, the Welshman played in a different role as Zidane tinkered with his side's shape ahead of the second leg of their Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain.
Ronaldo and Benzema were paired in attack with Bale left and Lucas Vazquez patrolling the right of a 4-4-2, energetically buzzing up and down and setting up one of Ronaldo's two strikes on a sunny winter's afternoon at the Bernabeu.
Ronaldo could have completed his hat-trick after Bale won a last-minute penalty, but the Madrid captain instead allowed Benzema - who has had to deal with growing criticism - to take the kick and he fired into the corner of the net.
The result means Zinedine Zidane's men have now accumulated 18 points from their last seven games, during which run they have scored 29 goals, to boost their hopes of getting back into the top two in La Liga.
The hosts dominated possession in the first half but, perhaps missing the influence of key quintet Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Marco Asensio, Sergio Ramos and Marcelo, found it difficult to create chances until Benzema's clever back-heel found Ronaldo, who span and shot to open the floodgates.
The Frenchman then set up Bale for number two before Vazquez's cross for Ronaldo and that late penalty, just reward for Benzema's contribution as the BBC found their form in impressive style.
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