Positive start for stand-in coach

– Santiago Solari’s reign as interim Real Madrid coach got off to an encouraging start on Wednesday as the European champions made light of third-tier hosts Melilla in the Copa del Rey.

Goals from Karim Benzema, Marco Asensio, Alvaro Odriozola and Cristo Gonzalez earned the 19-time champions a 4-0 win on their first visit to this Spanish

Madrid

enclave on the north African coast.

Solari was promoted from boss of Real’s Castilla B team on Monday after the sacking of Julen Lopetegui only 139 days after his appointment.

Sunday’s 5-1 Clasico humbling by Barcelona proved the last straw for Real president Florentino Perez, who will nevertheless have been warmed by the team’s display in this last-32 first leg.

“In tough times, we are all pulling in the same direction,” said Solari. “We have a team of great champions who know what to do to get the job done.”

Defending champions Barcelona, meanwhile, needed a stoppage-time header from French star Clement Lenglet to secure a 1-0 win at third division Cultural Leonesa. –