Real Madrid run riot in 7-1 Spanish Cup triumph
LEÓN, SPAIN: A much-weakened Real Madrid went goal crazy in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday, smashing third-division minnows Cultural Leonesa 7-1 away from home in the first leg of their last32 encounter.
Marco Asensio and Alvaro Morata each struck twice in a one-sided match, but Spanish international Morata should have had at least a hat-trick as Real ran riot, ensuring the return leg at the Santiago Bernabeu is effectively a dead rubber.
Real Madrid’s forgotten man Fabio Coentrao made his return following seven months out injured on a routine evening for the Champions League winners.
“I’m very pleased with the match. We started strongly and took the game seriously. That’s the most important thing for me, taking it seriously and respecting the opponent,” said Real coach Zinedine Zidane.
“But we haven’t won anything, we’re going to keep going because this is a long-term thing, in the Copa del Rey, the Champions League or any other competition.”
Real, who have won the Copa del Rey 19 times, were thrown out of last season’s competition after fielding the ineligible Denis Cheryshev in a tie with Cadiz.
ZEKO HITS BRACE AS ROMA CHASE JUVENTUS MILAN: Edin Dzeko hit his ninth and 10th league goals of the season as Roma stayed in hot pursuit of leaders Juventus with a comprehesive 3-1 win at Sassuolo.
Juventus were given an extra incentive to move further clear of their scudetto rivals when AC Milan, who stunned the champions 1-0 last weekend to close the gap to two points, crashed 3-0 at Genoa on Tuesday.
Roma turned pre-match predictions on their head by handing Sassuolo their secondbiggest home defeat of the season to walk away with the spoils, although their seventh win of the campaign was tempered by Alessandro Florenzi crumbling to the ground with a suspected serious knee ligament injury.
Although Juventus underlined their credentials with a classy 4-1 win at home to Sampdoria, which saw Mario Mandzukic hit his maiden goal of the season and defender Giorgio Chiellini hit a brace, Roma remain just two points in arrears. HIGUAIN ADDS SPICE TO JUVE-NAPOLI RIVALRY MILAN: Gonzalo Higuain will face former club Napoli for the first time on Saturday since his acrimo nious departure for Juventus, add ing even more spice to the fierce rivalry between the two sides.
The brooding Argentine scored a record 36 league goals for Napol last season as he led them to the runners-up spot behind Juventus who won a fifth successive Serie A title. But instead of stay ing on, he triggered a 90 million euro buyout clause in his contract which had two years still to run and moved to the Turin club.