...his strike hits the wall.

Worth the build-up wasn't it?

Real Madrid have  free-kick after Javi Fuego fouls Cristiano Ronaldo - about 20 yards out and central.

I can't imagine who'll take it...

Real break forward like the crowds at the doors of Selfridges on 27 December.

Cristiano Ronaldo only just fails to pick out Alvaro Morata with a low ball.

Close.

Image source, Rex Features

Big cheer for Gaz Bale as he re-emerges from the Bernabeu depths.

When will he come on? And who for?

We are back under way.

The players are back out. Cristiano Ronaldo stands at the exit on the tunnel and pats each of his team-mates on the back as they enter the field.

Espanyol make a change. Hernan Perez comes on for ex-Arsenal man Jose Antonio Reyes (he's only 33?!).

He's sprinting up and down the touchline.

Now he's kicking on the ball on the pitch.

For more exciting updates on Gareth Bale, stay right here.

Translated:

BREAKING NEWS: blood pressure tablets throughout Berlin sold out! Also in Brandenburg only remaining stocks available!   

The big shock is on in Frankfurt. Ingolstadt, second from bottom, now lead 2-0 away to third-placed Eintracht, thanks to Pascal Gross' penalty.

Poor Darmstadt. The Bundesliga's bottom club have not picked up a single away point all season. With just 25 to go at Hoffenheim, their hopes of ending that run have taken a blow. Andrej Kramaric, once of Leicester, has given the home side the lead.

Bayern Munich have brought on Robert Lewandowski in a bid to save themselves from defeat at Hertha Berlin. His first contribution is to get booked for a late challenge on Per Skjelbred. Still 1-0 to Hertha.

Expected from Real.

Espanyol? Er...

Cristiano Ronaldo swings in a cross from the left which Lucas Vazquez does brilliantly to get his boot to. The ball runs along the area but just drifts past Alvaro Morata.

Real's attacking players are connecting well today.

Remember coach Zinedine Zidane has made seven changes* to the starting XI that defeated Napoli the other night.

*Admittedly, the replacements are decent.

Nice of Espanyol to turn up. Worth reminding them that they need to take part as well.

Real open up Espanyol again.

Nacho overlaps down the left and plays the ball back for Alvaro Morata in the area, but the Spain striker fires wide at the near post.

They're banging against that door once more..

Things are looking up for Borussia Dortmund after a gloomy few days; beaten at bottom club Darmstadt in the Bundesliga last weekend, then at Benfica in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 get-together on Tuesday, Thomas Tuchel's side lead Wolfsburg 3-0. Lukasz Piszczek headed the second from a delivery by Ousmane Dembele, who added the third himself.

Dortmund, in fourth, started the day a massive 15 points behind leaders Bayern Munich, but that gap may reduce a little today: Carlo Ancelotti's team still trail 1-0 at Hertha Berlin.

Elsewhere, Ingolstadt are still 1-0 up thanks to keeper Martin Hansen, who has just saved a penalty from Eintracht Frankfurt's Makoto Hasebe. Werder Bremen are 2-0 up at Mainz; Hoffenheim versus Darmstadt is goalless.

The closest there has been to a goal.

Cristiano Ronaldo surges into the pen area on the right and plays an angled shot-cross to the far post where Alvaro Morata only just fails to get a touch.

Moments later Real - after winning their seventh corner of the game!! - put the ball in the net but it's offside.

Real's Cristiano Ronaldo sells David Lopez a dummy for a bag of beans.

The Portugal forward produces a trick from the training ground to push the ball past the Espanyol man near the byeline. 

A brilliant piece of skill.

Again Real don't make much of the set-piece. 

The La Liga leaders have had a lot of the possession and been a threat in the final third without creating a clear chance.

Croatian Mateo Kovacic is getting treatment after an aerial challenge leaves him sporting some claret under the left eye.

The corner is played in but with no Sergio Ramos, there is no Real player daring enough to attack the ball.

They have another corner though...

Isco is having a bit of a disco in midfield - he tries to play in Lucas Vasquez on the left but the ball goes out.

Moments later, the Spaniard tries to cut the ball back inside the area but Espanyol manage to close down the space.

How long can the Barcelona side keep out Los Blancos?

It's another corner to Real..