After the way the summer panned out, Madrid lined up in their first home game of the season with James and Bale as starters, and without Pogba, naturally...

As the final whistle blew at Cornellà, a throng of Espanyol fans invaded the pitch in the kind of choreographed jubilation not seen all season.

This week, we saw something rare nowadays, but something that was common years ago: coinciding kick-off times.

Sunday's 4-1 win over Real Valladolid leaves the spectre of José Mourinho looming a little less large at Real Madrid...