Wednesday 26 October 2016 22:50, UK
Real Madrid started their Copa del Rey campaign with a 7-1 first-leg rout of third-tier Cultural Leonesa on Wednesday.
The European champions fielded a weakened side on a night when they were expected to run up a big score.
Marco Asensio, Alvaro Morata, Nacho Fernandez and Mariano were all on target - the first two scoring twice - and an own goal from Gianni Zuiverloon ensured a comfortable night's work.
Leonesa kept going to the end and Benja's strike six minutes from time gave the home fans something to remember.
On paper, it looked like a mismatch despite Leonesa's impressive start to the season and many of Real's big guns being left back in Madrid.
Keylor Navas, Marcelo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale were all rested, while Sergio Ramos and Luka Modric were out injured.
Leon-based La Cultu had rolled off nine wins in a row to top their division and were undefeated this season.
They had also beaten Laredo, Calahorra and Albacete to reach this stage of the competition, but Real represented a huge step up in class for Leonesa.
Zinedine Zidane's men moved to the top of La Liga last weekend with a fourth straight win and were determined to make up for being thrown out of the Copa del Rey last season for playing the suspended Denis Cheryshev.
Leonesa's defence was breached after only five minutes when Zuiverloon diverted Toni Kroos' cross into his own net.
It was the worst possible start for the Segunda B side, but they regrouped and Alex Gallar had two chances to level for the underdogs.
Kiko Casilla made a routine stop from Gallar before he held a more dangerous effort after clever work from Mario Ortiz.
It was a crucial intervention as Asensio extended Real's advantage after 32 minutes, the young striker scoring on his first Copa del Rey outing just as he had done on his LaLiga and Champions League debuts.
There was always a chance Leonesa would tire after the break and Real instantly upped the intensity with Morata scoring within 35 seconds of the restart.
Asensio soon slotted another and Morata turned home his second from James Rodriguez's cross.
Nacho got in on the act with a brilliant scissor kick before Benja scored Leonesa's first goal against Real for over 60 years.
But Mariano had the final word in stoppage time and the second leg at the Bernabeu at the end of November will be no more than a formality.
