Real Madrid began their first LaLiga campaign under Julen Lopetegui with a 2-0 win over Getafe at the Santiago Bernabeu.
In the first league game since Cristiano Ronaldo's departure to Juventus, Gareth Bale seized his chance to impress, setting up Dani Carvajal for the opening goal before scoring the second himself after the break.
Lopetegui suffered a 4-2 defeat to rivals Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup in his first competitive game in charge, but a 10th league win in a row over Getafe looked likely once Carvajal broke the deadlock.
Madrid, who started Keylor Navas over Thibaut Courtois in goal, were not quite firing on all cylinders but never looked likely to throw away a result given Getafe did not manage a shot until the 69th minute.
Bale, starting wide on the right, hit the bar with a diving header early on before Carvajal made it 1-0 20 minutes in, nodding the ball over David Soria after the keeper had punched Bale's cross half-clear.
Getafe handed them a second goal six minutes after the restart, when Bale's shot was parried into the net by Soria after Marco Asensio had stolen the ball from centre-back Djene Dakonam, giving Lopetegui a satisfactory start to life in the top flight.
What it means: Positive signs but plenty of work for Lopetegui
There was always going to be a period of adjustment for Madrid in the post-Zinedine Zidane era, and this victory inside a half-full Santiago Bernabeu underlined as much.
Madrid looked slick at times but Lopetegui's fluid system is not yet in full flow. The central midfielders seemed reluctant to move forward and support Karim Benzema and, with Bale and Asensio sticking to their wings, it left the striker very isolated against the Getafe back four at times.
That said, they restricted the visitors to almost no chances whatsoever and certainly deserved to take all three points. Lopetegui will be judged primarily on these early results, especially since Barcelona were allowed to build a lead in the title race from the very start of last season, so any victory will be considered a positive.
Pat on the back: Bale ready to pick up Ronaldo mantle
This season will be a pivotal one in Bale's Real Madrid career, as he finally no longer needs to play in the shadow of Ronaldo, and he has got off to an ideal start.
Soria did not cover himself in glory with the way he dealt with the Wales star's cross for Carvajal or his second-half finish, but a goal and an assist in the opening league match is not to be sniffed at.
Boot up the backside: Dismal outing for Dakonam
Dakonam was linked with a big-money move to Leicester City during the English transfer window, but Foxes fans will not be too disappointed to have missed out on the defender based on this performance.
The centre-back was booked in the first half for a poor challenge on Karim Benzema as the striker left him for dead with a stepover, and it was his dawdling at the back that allowed Asensio to set up Bale for the crucial second goal.
What's next?
Madrid head to Catalonia next Sunday to take on Girona, who started their season with a 0-0 draw against Real Valladolid.
Getafe host Eibar next, a side they beat 1-0 in April in their last meeting.
FT: Real Madrid 2-0 Getafe
🏁 FT: @RealMadrid 2-0 @GetafeCF (@DaniCarvajal92 20', @GarethBale11 51').#Emirates | #RMLiga pic.twitter.com/wSd8AOLgKt
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) August 19, 2018
SECOND HALF
79' |2-0| Tarjeta amarilla para Cabrera #RealMadridGetafe
— Getafe C.F. (@GetafeCF) August 19, 2018
78' |2-0| Tarjeta amarilla para @MArambarri8 #RealMadridGetafe
— Getafe C.F. (@GetafeCF) August 19, 2018
🔁 77' | 2-0 | @RealMadrid substitution. @GarethBale11 makes way for @Lucasvazquez91.#RMLiga | #HalaMadrid pic.twitter.com/pevtqibQ01
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) August 19, 2018
🔁 71' | 2-0 | @RealMadrid substitution. @lukamodric10 replaces @DaniCeballos46.#RMLiga | #HalaMadrid pic.twitter.com/fsHSP1QO87
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) August 19, 2018
71' |2-0| Último cambio en el Getafe. Ángel sustituye a @Jorge9Molina #VamosGeta #RealMadridGetafe
— Getafe C.F. (@GetafeCF) August 19, 2018
68' | 2-0 | Yellow card for Marcelo.#RMLiga
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) August 19, 2018
67' |2-0| Tarjeta amarilla para @MarceloM12 en el @RealMadrid
— Getafe C.F. (@GetafeCF) August 19, 2018
#RealMadridGetafe
64' |2-0| Cambio en el Getafe. @ivanalejo7 sustituye a @fportillo90 #VamosGeta #RealMadridGetafe
— Getafe C.F. (@GetafeCF) August 19, 2018
🔁 58' | 2-0 | @RealMadrid substitution. @isco_alarcon off, @Casemiro on.#RMLiga | #HalaMadrid pic.twitter.com/J6Ktcc2B3X
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) August 19, 2018
57' |2-0| Primer cambio en el Getafe. @mata_jaime9 sustituye a @amath_31 #VamosGeta #RealMadridGetafe
— Getafe C.F. (@GetafeCF) August 19, 2018
51' - GOAL REAL MADRID - Bale tucks a Marco Asensio cross inside the near post to make it 2-0. A Getafe mistake at the back turned the ball over in dangerous position to create the chance.
11 - Gareth Bale’s last 11 shots on target for Real Madrid in all comps:
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) August 19, 2018
⚽ vs Leganés
⚽ vs Barcelona
⚽ vs Celta
⛔ vs Celta
⚽ vs Celta
⛔ vs Celta
⛔ vs Celta
⚽ vs Villarreal
⚽ vs Liverpool
⚽ vs Liverpool
⚽ vs GETAFE
Stellar. pic.twitter.com/Mgt6oO9jEL
46' - Back underway at the Santiago Bernabeu
HT: Real Madrid 1-0 Getafe
⏸ HT: @RealMadrid 1-0 @GetafeCF (@DaniCarvajal92 20').#RMLiga | #HalaMadrid pic.twitter.com/71dSfLsgcj
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) August 19, 2018
FIRST HALF
42' |1-0| Cartulina amarilla para Djene #RealMadridGetafe
— Getafe C.F. (@GetafeCF) August 19, 2018
41' |1-0| Tarjeta amarilla para @amath_31 #RealMadridGetafe
— Getafe C.F. (@GetafeCF) August 19, 2018
34' - Marcelo almost creates another goal-scoring chance but an offside whistle negates a potential penalty.
27' |1-0| Tarjeta amarilla para @Jorge9Molina. Primera del partido #RealMadridGetafe
— Getafe C.F. (@GetafeCF) August 19, 2018
20' - GOAL REAL MADRID - Dani Carvajal places a looping header into the net after Soria couldn't punch it far enough out to safety.
16' - Bale comes close again, this time hitting the bar with a diving header on the end of a Marcelo cross.
4' - Gareth Bale has a chance but it's saved. Unclear whether he was offside, but Getafe goalkeeper David Soria made it irrelevant.
1' - Underway in Madrid
PRE-MATCH
As was the case last season, Real Madrid begin the 2018/19 La Liga campaign without Cristiano Ronaldo. However, unlike twelve months ago when Los Blancos had to wait for the prolific Portuguese to serve a five-game ban, this time around they have to adjust to a new reality: life post the five-time Ballon d'Or.
Gone too is Zinedine Zidane, the man who guided the team to three Champions League titles in his two-and-a-half-year tenure. Stepping into managerial void is Julen Lopetegui.
The former Spain coach will be looking to bounce back following a tumultuous summer that began with him being sacked on the eve of the World Cup and ended with a 4-2 humbling at the hands of Atletico Madrid in last week's UEFA Super Cup final.
Meanwhile, Getafe make their way to the Santiago Bernabeu aiming to frustrate their more famous (and moneyed) neighbors.
Pep Bordalas, who guided Los Azulones to an eighth place finish last season, is under no illusions about the challenge his team faces: "They are essentially the same as before. The squad is the same, other than Cristiano. Players like Bale are in great form. Benzema, Isco... any player in Real Madrid's squad is going to be top class. Real Madrid is too big to complain about the loss of Cristiano. They have great players and a great coach."
Line Ups
📝 This is our starting XI for our first league match of the season! #RMLiga pic.twitter.com/Zy1PVSBznP
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) August 19, 2018
¡Ya conocemos el primer once de la temporada con el que saltaremos en poco más de una hora al césped del Santiago Bernabéu! 💪#VamosGeta #RealMadridGetafe pic.twitter.com/CeqBBhlAUL
— Getafe C.F. (@GetafeCF) August 19, 2018
How and where to watch
La Liga: Real Madrid vs. Getafe, Sunday August 19th at 4:15pm ET / 1:45pm PT - LIVE on beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, and beIN SPORTS CONNECT
