Benzema breaks Huesca's hearts at the end
A goal from Karim Benzema in the 89th minute finally broke Huesca's resistance. The visitors opened the scoring in the 2nd minute through Cucho, before Isco and Ceballos put Madrid in front. Exteita made it 2-2 before Benzema's winner.
Real Madrid 3-2 Huesca: match report
Real Madrid found a way to win with a heavily-rotated side on Sunday night at the Santiago Bernabéu despite a valiant effort from LaLiga's bottom side Huesca.
The visitors, on their first every trip to the Santiago Bernabéu in their maidan LaLiga campaign, led early through Cucho Hernández as the fairtyale started early, and possibly too early.
It took the 19-year-old just two minutes to beat Luca Zidane, another surprise inclusion with Thibaut Courtois injured and Keylor Navas rested after the internationa break.
His partner in attack, Chimy Avila won a battle with Nacho on the right with Marcelo caught out of position and sent the ball into the danger zone. Hernandez slammed past Luca in goals before he even had a chance to set his feet.
Real Madrid picked it up but they didn't have it all their own way. With the dynamism of Cucho and Avila in attack, they continued to find space in and around the hosts' back line and never stopped causing problems until they were substituted in the second half with their petrol lights flashing red after a night of constant movement.
It was Isco, who returned from exile on the bench under Zidane, with the leveller. Benzema raced forward with intent and strength and saw his effort saved by Santamaria but it fell to Brahim, another player getting a rare start. He sent it across the goal for Isco to poke home. His second in two games since Zidane's return.
Dani Ceballos gave Real Madrid the lead foer the first time in the game when Bale sent a teasing cross with the outside of his left foot onto Benzema's head. He looped it to the back post and Ceballos finished the job with a brave lunge at the ball.
Etxeita levelled matters once again, however, after 74 minutes with Real Madrid proving incapable of swatting them aside for good. A corner came in and he headed a low bullet into the ground to make it 2-2. Luca Zidane was again left with no chance.
Karim Benzema, involved in the two goals earlier, finished the third and wrapped up all three points for the home side with the pick of the litter on the night. He curled it past the keeper just inside the box on 89 minutes in what was an eerily similar type of win we saw umpteen times under Zidane in his previous stint in charge.
Real Madrid sent Huesca one step closer to relegation with the win and while they might not have fully deserved it, that never bothered them before under their returning boss.
Real Madrid vs Huesca live online: match updates
Real Madrid vs Huesca live online: match report
Real Madrid's season is over but there is still plenty on the line for both sides as Huesca travel to the capital on Sunday. Huesca are mired in a relegation battle and could do with points in whatever way they can get them while Real Madrid are planning a summer clear-out and there are futures on the line on Sunday. Zinedine Zidane has a massive amount of money to spend once the seasons ends and there are also several reports that a number of first team players could be on their way out so these games serve as a shop window and a chance for Zidane to see what some of the players on the fringes have left to offer.
Vinicius remains out and Thibaout Courtois is sidelines too. This might make the decision for Zinedine Zidane a little easier with Keylor Navas, the goalkeeper who won three Champions League titles for the Frenchman, staking a claim for a place in goal with a start against Celta Vigo in Zidane's return. But reports suggest it could be Luca Zidane who starts in goal for Huesca's visit. Meanwhile, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Dani Carvajal are also missing for los Blancos.
Huesca were sleepwalking to the second division but three wins in their last seven and a draw have helped them to a more respectable 22 points. They still have a lot of work to do in order to stay in the top flight as Villarreal sit on 29 and in 17th place. They will have to do it in their first trip to the Santiago Bernabéu to play Real Madrid without Gonzalo Melero, the former Madrid player, and Luisinho while Pablo Insua and Carlos Akapo will also miss out.