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Goalscorers: Gareth Bale 26' 51', Karim Benzema 39'
Real Madrid cruised to a 3-0 victory against Las Palmas, with Gareth Bale scoring on either side of the interval. Karim Benzema, captaining the side on his 400th Madrid appearance, also got on the scoresheet courtesy a well-taken penalty.
As expected, Real Madrid fielded a weakened starting line-up with one eye on Tuesday's clash against Juventus. But that did not stop Zidane's men from putting a hapless Las Palmas side to the sword.
So without further ado, let's discuss the game in further detail and dissect the major talking points that emerged from Gran Canaria:
#5 Perfect dress rehearsal for Turin showdown
Zinedine Zidane decided to ring in the changes and opted to rest the spine of his side for this away game. Cristiano Ronaldo, Marcelo and Toni Kroos were given the day off. Meanwhile, Sergio Ramos and Isco had little niggles and the manager decided not to risk the duo. Dani Carvajal too missed out due to suspension.
But the manager would be happy with the performance that his side put up against a team fighting for safety. Madrid looked comfortable in defence and should have scored a lot more than just three.
Real Madrid did not have to change gears in this one and the players got the job done with minimal fuss. The reigning European champions will now head to Turin to face Juventus in top form whilst also having all their prime players rested and raring to go after the international break.
#4 Nacho Fernandez's injury only blot on Real Madrid's otherwise perfect day
Nacho has been the go-to man for Real Madrid in the past few years. The defender has filled in whenever required and done consistently well for the club. With Dani Carvajal suspended, Nacho started at right back against Las Palmas.
But in the 29th minute, he was taken off and replaced by Achraf Hakimi. At first, the injury did not look serious enough to warrant a substitution but it emerged that Nacho had pulled his hamstring and hence could take no further part in the game.
Madrid's utility man looked visibly distraught after his substitution as he took a seat on the bench. He was in tears, a sight no one wants to see in the game of football.
This is Nacho's first injury since his debut for Real Madrid, which goes to show the defender's high fitness levels. Real Madrid would hope to have Nacho back as quickly as possible as they look to end the season on a high.
#3 Las Palmas look down and out
The Canaries, who have struggled all season, were in the relegation zone before the game against Real Madrid. They were six points from safety and needed a positive result from this big game to kickstart their bid to avoid relegation. Hopes were high, especially after the draw they had eked out against Barcelona last month.
However, on the night, Las Palmas were poor in possession, gave away far too much space for Gareth Bale and Marco Asensio to run in behind and never looked like troubling the side that had rested half of their first team superstars.
Their performances this campaign have been half-baked for the most part, and off-field issues such as striker Loic Remy being suspended for turning up late have dominated the headlines. This disappointing defeat makes Las Palmas' next game, against Levante, their biggest game of the season so far.
Levante are 17th in the table, seven points ahead of the Canaries. But going by Las Palmas' current form and their dismal outing against Real Madrid, these are not great times for the side.
#2 Karim Benzema and Theo Hernandez fail to impress
It was a big night for Karim Benzema who captained the Real Madrid side in what was his 400th appearance for the club. He scored from the spot with a perfect strike to give Zidane's side a 2-0 lead on the night.
But the one criticism that he has always faced is due to his inability to finish off simple chances. This was the case yet again against the Canaries as he missed a simple chance in the second half. He also overhit a pass to Gareth Bale in a two-on-one situation which, frankly, should not happen at such a high level.
Meanwhile, Theo Hernandez replaced Marcelo at left back but couldn't influence the proceedings in any way. He was reluctant to bomb forward at times and never took any risks. The only thing that caught the eye on the night was his blonde hair.
#1 Gareth Bale's back!
2018 has, so far, been a good year for Gareth Bale. After scoring for Wales during the international break, Bale brought his scoring boots to Gran Canaria and scored a brace to give Real Madrid all three points.
Bale has now scored seven goals in his last five games for Real Madrid. He is now firmly in contention for a starting berth against Juventus on Tuesday. Zidane simply can't ignore that fact. Playing as a striker on the night, Bale got behind the Las Palmas defence at will and made them pay with his blistering pace.
The first goal was vintage Bale, as he beat the defender with pace before shooting one past the keeper. His second came from the spot and he also created two chances for his teammates. Overall, he was easily the best player on the field.
With his return to form, Bale will give the Real Madrid hierarchy a lot to think about, especially considering the fact they are reportedly looking to offload him in the summer.
