The winger was reportedly unhappy with the sacking of
Rafa Benitez but put in a man-of-the-match performance
to get his new manager off to a flyer
A Gareth Bale hat-trick helped Real Madrid to a thumping
5-0 win over Deportivo La Coruna in Zinedine Zidane's
first match in charge.
Zidane, who replaced Rafael Benitez as head coach this
week, was forced to deny rumours that Bale could be sold
this month and the Wales star responded in perfect
fashion by inspiring Madrid to an impressive win.
Karim Benzema flicked home the first before Bale doubled
the lead in the first half against a Deportivo side who
could have given Zidane much more to worry about had it
not been for some wayward early finishing.
But Bale promptly killed the game in the second half with
a brilliant placed finish and a glancing header to take his
tally to 10 goals in his last seven Liga matches.
Depor, to their credit, continued to push for a consolation,
but Madrid stretched their lead oncemore through
Benzema to put pressure on Barcelona and Atletico
Madrid above them and give Zidane the winning start he
wanted.
Cristiano Ronaldo had German Lux at full stretch with the
first shot in anger but Deportivo started the brightest, and
Keylor Navas reacted well to stop Lucas Perez from
snatching the lead from close range with 11 minutes
played.
Madrid survived that early scare and got off the mark
under Zidane with just 15 minutes played. Sergio Ramos
hooked the ball goalwards after Toni Kroos' corner was
half-cleared, and Benzema just managed to stay onside
before backheeling the ball into the bottom corner.
The home side suddenly looked more comfortable and
promptly doubled their lead after 23 minutes, as Bale
headed Dani Carvajal's pinpoint cross from the right past
Lux from six yards.
Bale then almost turned provider for Ronaldo, but the
Portugal star headed his delicate chip onto the woodwork.
Deportivo continued to threaten through Perez and Luis
Alberto towards the end of an entertaining first half but
couldn't find a way past Navas.
Madrid took advantage and put the game beyond the
visitors with just four minutes of the second half played.
Ronaldo raced clear down the right and pulled the ball
back across the box for Bale, whose superb first-time
finish with his side foot beat Lux at the near post from 18
yards out and moved him ahead of the 49 goals Zidane
scored in a Real shirt.
And the unstoppable Bale secured his hat-trick with a
strong glancing header from Toni Kroos' corner, before he
was withdrawn to a rapturous reception in the closing
stages.
Depor kept pushing for a consolation and Navas leapt
superbly to his left to parry Alberto's strike from 25 yards,
before Ronaldo dragged an effort wide after charging into
the area in what proved a disappointing personal 90
minutes for the Portuguese.
A fine tackle from Alejandro Arribas denied Ronaldo a
chance on the counter-attack in injury time but Benzema
arrived to smash home the rebound off the crossbar from
just inside the box to put the icing on the cake for Madrid
and Zidane.
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