Karim Benzema was the hero at the Santiago Bernabeu, leading a Cristiano Ronaldo-less Real Madrid to a 2-0 victory over relegation threatened Hercules. The Herculanos haven't won against their opponents in 25 years, although this was only their third meeting.
Esteban Vigo's side looked efficient on the ball until the final third where former Real Madrid striker Javier Portillo lacked the cutting edge needed to get the Alicante side off the mark.
Benzema struck in the first-half with a simple but effective finish and then doubled los Merengues' cushion with a super strike off the post in the second. The French international had chances for his hat-trick even into stoppage time but Jose Mourinho will be happy to collect all three points and avoid injuries ahead of the Champions League showdown with Lyon.
Madrid continued where they left off from last week and perhaps should have taken the lead with five minutes played when Abraham Paz allowed Angel Di Maria to slip goal-side but the Argentine winger decided to roll the ball across goal from a tight angle; Emmanuel Adebayor was too far behind to take advantage of the empty net.
Hercules were giving Madrid a taste of their own medicine during a positive spell of nice one touch football, the move eventually led to Portillo but it was never troubling Iker Casillas.
Esteban Granero tried once from a free-kick early on but his second effort in the 16th minute was much closer, the Spaniard shaving the bar from 20-yards.
The visitors certainly didn't play like a side with relegation looming over them but the bubble was burst by Karim Benzema in the 24th minute. A nicely weighted pass from Mesut Oezil fed Alvaro Arbeloa on the right and Benzema held his run for the pull-back and made no mistake to notch his eighth league goal of the season.
The men from Alicante were looking comfortable in possession but lacked an edge of conviction in attack. Kiko and Olivier Thomert forced Casillas into decent stops in the space of a minute, the former ghosted his way past two white shirts on his run into the box but sent his sent cross-shot too close to the Spanish international 'keeper.
Within a minute of the second period kicking-off, Di Maria's long ball picked out Adebayor darting off his marker but the on-loan striker rattled his shot against the bar. Benzema was the next to benefit from a moment of inspiration from Di Maria, a cheeky flick finding the French striker but Calatayud got just enough to see the shot over.
In the 56th minute Benzema doubled his tally for the evening. It was again Di Maria who picked out the striker pulling wide and Paz's mistake gave him time to consider his options; Benz opened the angle for himself and clipped an early shot in-off the far post.
Los Blancos coach Jose Mourinho began to chop and change his XI with one eye on their return leg clash next week against Lyon, both Xabi Alonso and Sami Khedira getting some minutes under their belts.
Alonso was straight into the action, the architect of a pin-point pass to find Adebayor completely free on the edge of the area. The Togo international took too long to get his shot away allowing Paz to tackle back, still the chance presented itself to Khedira but he could only poke the rebound wide.
Madrid's victory puts them four points behind Barcelona, who play Sevilla on Sunday evening, while Hercules remain just inside the relegation zone. Attention now turns to Wednesday evening and Olympique Lyonnais for Jose Mourinho and his men.
Esteban Vigo's side looked efficient on the ball until the final third where former Real Madrid striker Javier Portillo lacked the cutting edge needed to get the Alicante side off the mark.
Benzema struck in the first-half with a simple but effective finish and then doubled los Merengues' cushion with a super strike off the post in the second. The French international had chances for his hat-trick even into stoppage time but Jose Mourinho will be happy to collect all three points and avoid injuries ahead of the Champions League showdown with Lyon.
Madrid continued where they left off from last week and perhaps should have taken the lead with five minutes played when Abraham Paz allowed Angel Di Maria to slip goal-side but the Argentine winger decided to roll the ball across goal from a tight angle; Emmanuel Adebayor was too far behind to take advantage of the empty net.
Hercules were giving Madrid a taste of their own medicine during a positive spell of nice one touch football, the move eventually led to Portillo but it was never troubling Iker Casillas.
Esteban Granero tried once from a free-kick early on but his second effort in the 16th minute was much closer, the Spaniard shaving the bar from 20-yards.
The visitors certainly didn't play like a side with relegation looming over them but the bubble was burst by Karim Benzema in the 24th minute. A nicely weighted pass from Mesut Oezil fed Alvaro Arbeloa on the right and Benzema held his run for the pull-back and made no mistake to notch his eighth league goal of the season.
The men from Alicante were looking comfortable in possession but lacked an edge of conviction in attack. Kiko and Olivier Thomert forced Casillas into decent stops in the space of a minute, the former ghosted his way past two white shirts on his run into the box but sent his sent cross-shot too close to the Spanish international 'keeper.
Within a minute of the second period kicking-off, Di Maria's long ball picked out Adebayor darting off his marker but the on-loan striker rattled his shot against the bar. Benzema was the next to benefit from a moment of inspiration from Di Maria, a cheeky flick finding the French striker but Calatayud got just enough to see the shot over.
In the 56th minute Benzema doubled his tally for the evening. It was again Di Maria who picked out the striker pulling wide and Paz's mistake gave him time to consider his options; Benz opened the angle for himself and clipped an early shot in-off the far post.
Los Blancos coach Jose Mourinho began to chop and change his XI with one eye on their return leg clash next week against Lyon, both Xabi Alonso and Sami Khedira getting some minutes under their belts.
Alonso was straight into the action, the architect of a pin-point pass to find Adebayor completely free on the edge of the area. The Togo international took too long to get his shot away allowing Paz to tackle back, still the chance presented itself to Khedira but he could only poke the rebound wide.
Madrid's victory puts them four points behind Barcelona, who play Sevilla on Sunday evening, while Hercules remain just inside the relegation zone. Attention now turns to Wednesday evening and Olympique Lyonnais for Jose Mourinho and his men.
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