Isco's perfect free-kick paved the way for Real Madrid to start their latest Champions League defence with a 3-0 home win against Roma, with Gareth Bale and Mariano Diaz also on target. 

Madrid are aiming to win the tournament for the fourth year in a row and Julen Lopetegui's side cruised to a comfortable Group G victory at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.

Isco took set-piece duties following the sale of Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus, and on the same night his former team-mate was sent off against Valencia, the Spain international whipped in a superb strike from 25 yards just before the break.

And Bale, scorer of a brace in Madrid's defeat of Liverpool in last season's final, made sure of the points with a placed finish after racing through on goal from Luka Modric's pass, with substitute Mariano going on to add a third in stoppage time.

Bale had a great chance to open the scoring in the fourth minute, but he rifled wide after collecting an excellent lofted pass from Toni Kroos, then Robin Olsen brilliantly denied Isco.

Kroos and Bale wasted further chances but while Olsen showed off his acrobatics to tip over a Sergio Ramos header he was helpless as Madrid took the lead on the stroke of half-time.

Daniele De Rossi brought down Isco and the Spain star curled a brilliant free-kick into the top-left corner, Olsen seemingly deceived by the strike.

Keylor Navas was selected in goal rather than Thibaut Courtois and he parried away a drive from Cengiz Under, with Bale's deflected shot then bouncing back off the crossbar.

But the Wales star would not be denied again when Modric sent him clear, Bale arrowing a shot home with his trusty left boot.

Substitute Marco Asensio almost added a late third with a delightful no-look finish, but Mariano did wrap up the scoring in the first minute of added time with a fantastic turn and finish into the top-right corner on his first appearance since returning from Lyon. 

What does it mean: No Ronaldo, no problem

For much of the first half Madrid missed their talisman as they failed to convert chances, but Isco and Bale stepped up to deliver three points for Lopetegui in his first Champions League match in charge. That Ronaldo was dismissed as Juventus won away to Valencia will not have gone unnoticed in Madrid. Roma will still expect to qualify, though, as Viktoria Plzen and CSKA Moscow are ordinary opposition.

Pat on the back: Isco the inspiration

It is fair to say Isco would certainly have not been given the chance to take the free-kick he scored had Ronaldo been on the pitch. But the Spain star justified stepping up with an unstoppable strike that was almost a carbon copy of an effort by Lionel Messi in Barcelona's defeat of PSV on Tuesday.

Boot up the backside: No platform from Dzeko

Starting up front alone was a tough assignment for Edin Dzeko and he did not get a lot of support from the other attackers in the Roma team. But the striker, who had scored in each of his last five appearances in the Champions League, did not hold the ball up for his side, which was surely the minimum expected of him by coach Eusebio Di Francesco.

What's next?

Madrid are at home to Espanyol in LaLiga on Saturday, while Roma are at Bologna on the following day in Serie A. The Italians will hope for a better result when they host Plzen when the Champions League returns, with Madrid heading to Moscow to play CSKA.

Opta Facts

• Isco Alarcon scored his very first direct free-kick goal in the Champions League with his first attempt in the competition.
• Gareth Bale has scored with his last three shots on target in the Champions League, two goals vs Liverpool in 2018 final and once today. 
• Mariano Diaz has scored six goals for Real Madrid from just nine shots on target in all competitions and he has scored with his first attempt in the Champions League. 
• Luka Modric has assisted more Gareth Bale’s goals than any other player in his professional career (12 – club and Wales). 
• Real Madrid attempted 30 shots against Roma, the highest total by any side of this first MD of Champions League 2018/19. 
• Real Madrid attempted 30 shots against Roma, involving nine of his 11 players in the starting XI in one of them (excepting Keylor Navas and Raphaël Varane).  
• Isco Alarcon has scored his second direct free-kick goal for Real Madrid in all competitions, the second since April 2018 vs Malaga in La Liga. 
• At home, Real Madrid have won 23 of their last 26 group stage games (W23 D3 L0), last tasting defeat nine years ago against AC Milan, in October 2009 (2-3).
• Isco Alarcon is the only Real Madrid player to have scored from a direct free-kick in 2018 in all competitions (two goals). He is fourth in the list of Real Madrid players with the most direct free-kick attempts (four). 
• Sergio Ramos has equalled Carles Puyol as the defender with the second most appearances in the Champions League (115 – Roberto Carlos is the first with 120).