Goals at either end of the half from Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema have given Real Madrid a 2-0 lead over Athletic Bilbao at the break.
The visitors started disastrously and the Portuguese forward stole a yard on Oscar de Marco to head home Gareth Bale's cross after just two minutes to net his 13th goal of the season.
Ronaldo almost doubled his tally five minutes later when he fired a low shot on target after a number of step-overs had taken him inside the penalty area.
Iker Muniain had Athletic's best chance of the half, but his speculative effort was comfortably tipped over by Iker Casillas in the Real Madrid goal before the half-hour mark.
France international striker Benzema doubled the advantage shortly before the break when he nodded home a corner to put Los Blancos firmly in control at Santiago Bernabeu.
Paul Gorst
