Real Madrid 4-1 Getafe: Bale, Benzema and Ronaldo take Benitez's side second

Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo were at their devastating best as Real Madrid crushed Getafe 4-1 in a local derby at the Bernabeu.

Rafa Benitez's side were reeling after a difficult week in which they were banned from the Copa del Rey for fielding an ineligible player, and they took their frustration out on a struggling Getafe in a mightily impressive display with Benzema (2), Bale and Ronaldo all scoring in the first half.

It took the home side just four minutes to open the scoring in front of a far-from-full Bernabeu, with Benzema netting his seventh league goal of the season. Pepe began the move with a storming run down the right, before whipping a dangerous ball in.

Ronaldo tried to reach it, but he was being held by a defender and it was left for Benzema to bundle the ball home from three yards out. It was the easiest finish he'll get all season, and it set Real on their way.

With just 16 minutes on the clock, Benzema and Real Madrid had their second of the afternoon. James Rodriguez floated a ball to Bale at the back post, who nodded back to his French team-mate. Benzema shimmied his way past a defender, before firing the ball past Vicente Guaita, who was helpless to stop the effort.

For the second time in the game, Ronaldo opted to remonstrate with the referee rather than celebrate with his team-mates, but he will still have been delighted with his side's start to the match.

The 2015 Ballon d'Or nominee was involved in the third goal, nodding a clever header back for Bale to net a goal of his own.

The former Tottenham man brought the ball down brilliantly on his chest, before feinting to the left of the defender to open the angle. He has struggled at times in the white of Real Madrid this season, but there were no such problems here as he unleashed a terrific shot round the last man and into the back of the net to make it 3-0.

No Real Madrid performance would be complete without a Ronaldo goal, though. He had to wait until shortly before the half-time break, but eventually it came.

Toni Kroos threaded a perfectly-weighted pass through to his Portuguese team-mate, who had space to run into. Kicking open his legs, Ronaldo drove past the last defender before firing a right-footed shot past Guaita to put the game beyond doubt.

The second half was played at a much more leisurely pace, with Real Madrid well aware the points were in the bag.

It wasn't until former Los Blancos midfielder Pedro Leon came on for the visitors that something more happened.

Certainly only a consolation, but Getafe pulled one back in the latter stages after Leon's perfectly-weighted corner found Alexis in the middle.

He rose above the Real Madrid defence to head past Keylor Navas, leaving the Bernabeu crowd whistling and jeering at their side's mistake.

The win takes Benitez's side second in the table, although perhaps temporarily given Atletico Madrid play later on Saturday afternoon.