Best Madrid show of season

Real Madrid hammered its main January opponent, Valencia, who rolled over in the first 45 minutes before a fine exhibition by Mourinho's side, who got to the half-time interval 5-0 up, a scoreline which did not alter in the second half. Casillas, selected to start, watched from his goalmouth as the opposing forwards completely failed to register.

Valencia's fine play a few days ago at the Santiago Bernabeu, in the first leg of the quarter final of the Cup, simply evaporated at the home stadium of Mestalla. Real Madrid set about a demolition job, ably assisted by the total inability of Ernesto Valverde's Valencia side, who will be meeting Real Madrid once more next Wednesday in the same place for the return leg of the cup.

Higuaín scored with his first shot in the 8th minute, and from then on Real Madrid completely dominated Valencia who was totally beaten by the fluidity and speed of the opposition.

Valencia, who substituted Gago in the second half, recovered a little pride from the lost match and had half a dozen chances at goal, which one after the other were thrown away by the forwards shooting wide. On the counter-attack, Real Madrid went on being more dangerous, though without beating Diego Alvés any further.