Madrid brushes aside Cultural differences
Alvaro Morata and Marco Asensio led the way as a much-changed Real Madrid eased to a 7-1 win at third-tier Cultural Leonesa in the Copa del Rey round-of-32 first leg.
Madrid's esteemed attacking trio of Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale were among those rested, but the visitor cruised in their absence, with the brilliant Morata and Asensio both scoring twice.
Zinedine Zidane's men needed a helping hand from Cultural for the opener, though, as Gianni Zuiverloon scored an early own goal, before Asensio added a second just after the half-hour mark.
The LaLiga leader enjoyed a blistering start to the second period, with Asensio's long-range second sandwiched between two clinical Morata finishes inside the first nine minutes.
It's sixth goal was the pick of the bunch, though, as centre-back Nacho Fernandez scored a sensational acrobatic effort.
The host pulled one back towards the end through Benja Martinez, but Mariano Diaz nodded in a late seventh as Madrid take what should be an unassailable lead into the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu on 30 November.
Cultural managed to keep its illustrious visitor at bay for all of six minutes.
The breakthrough came in fortuitous circumstances, though, as Toni Kroos's right-wing free-kick was headed on by James Rodriguez and Zuiverloon deflected the ball beyond his own goalkeeper.
Madrid almost had a second shortly after, but this time Jorge Palatsi was able to rescue the home side, palming away Isco's diving header.
Cultural's already remote hopes suffered a blow in the 19th minute, as its captain and former Madrid academy player Antonio Martinez was forced off with an injury.
It pressed on and almost levelled soon after, as Toni Suarez raced on to Julen Colinas's clever flick and forced Kiko Casilla into a smart stop.
Madrid made the most of that let-off and grabbed a second in the 32nd minute – Asensio collecting Lucas Vazquez's low pass and playing a disguised effort into the bottom-right corner.
Madrid remained the dominant force, but Referee Daniel Trujillo spared Cultural an even tougher task nine minutes before the break, as he refused to send Yeray Gonzalez off for appearing to head-butt Kroos during an altercation.
Morata added a third within a minute of the second half starting, as he latched on to a wayward pass from a defender, charged into the left side of the area and coolly slotted through the goal-keeper's legs.
That proved to be the start of a Madrid onslaught, as it netted another two goals by the 55th minute – Asensio driving in from 25 yards, before Morata turned in a deflected right-wing cross with a neat finish inside the area.
The sixth arrived halfway through the second period, Nacho latching onto James's inviting lofted pass on the edge of the area before finding the top-left corner with a remarkable scissor-kick.
Cultural did at least give the home fans a reason to cheer, as Benja smashed in after a cutback with six minutes to go, but Madrid grabbed another at the death – Mariano heading in a right-wing cross.
