Real Madrid 5-1 Sporting Gijon

Cristiano Ronaldo's two goals took his La Liga total for the season to 16

Zinedine Zidane's Real Madrid put aside worries over a transfer ban by beating Sporting Gijon - but Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema picked up injuries.

Madrid were 4-0 up after 18 minutes, with Bale heading in the first and Cristiano Ronaldo scoring two, one either side of a Benzema volley.

The France forward ran in a fifth before the break, but both he and Bale later limped off.

Isma Lopez scored his first La Liga goal for Sporting after half-time.

Quotes: More empathy for Zidane - Ronaldo

Attacking brilliance - with injury and indiscipline

Gareth Bale was force off before half-time, having scored his 13th La Liga goal of the campaign

Real Madrid were seeking a boost on the field after being handed a transfer ban by Fifa on Thursday, for breaching rules regarding the signing of foreign players aged under 18.

They got it, as their front three - known as the BBC, because they consist of Bale, Benzema and Cristiano - were unplayable at times during a dominant first-half display.

Bale glanced in Toni Kroos' near-post corner for his 11th goal in eight matches amid ropey marking, before Ronaldo lashed in a second.

Benzema's acrobatic volley from Bale's cross made it three, and he added a fifth from Isco's scooped pass after Ronaldo had slotted in from the excellent Dani Carvajal's low cross.

Yet it was not all straightforward for Real's star forward line, as Bale limped off with a calf problem before half-time, and Benzema hobbled off in the second half after he was accidentally kicked by team-mate James Rodriguez.

Ronaldo, for his part, was lucky not to be sent off early in the second half for an off-the-ball kick at Nacho Cases.

Zidane makes a difference

Real Madrid have scored 10 goals in Zinedine Zidane's first two matches as manager

Rafa Benitez found to his cost that huge victories may not in themselves save a Real Madrid manager's job - getting the sack less than a month after his side beat Malmo 8-0 in the Champions League and Rayo Vallecano 10-2 in La Liga.

Even so, new coach Zidane can take satisfaction from a 100% start since stepping up from reserve-team duties to take charge at the Bernabeu - even though his team eased up after half-time against Sporting.

He enjoyed a 5-0 victory over Deportivo La Coruna in his first match, and against a team who held Benitez's Real to a 0-0 draw on the opening weekend of the La Liga season, Real scored four goals in the first 18 minutes - for the first time in a La Liga match since January 1956.

Sporting show spirit

Sporting Gijon coach Abelardo Fernandez (right) spent eight years as a player with Real Madrid's rivals Barcelona

Arriving at the Bernabeu in the relegation zone and on a run of four straight defeats, Sporting Gijon - promoted last season - looked set up for a hammering.

Abelardo Fernandez's squad has been stretched by injuries, and he was forced to use the inexperienced 18-year-old Jorge Mere at centre-back in a youthful side who could have been humiliated after such a poor start.

To their credit, they battled on even though the match was over as a contest in next to no time. Winger Jony was impressive in creating problems for the home defence, and it was he who created the goal for Lopez as Sporting at least won the second half.

What next?

Zidane's side look to keep up the pressure on Atletico Madrid and Barcelona at the top of the table when they visit Real Betis next Sunday. Sporting face a significant meeting with La Liga relegation rivals Real Sociedad on Friday.