Real Madrid continued their post-Nou Camp recovery with a deserved 3-1 victory over rock-bottom Real Zaragoza at La Romareda.
Mesut Ozil`s early strike and a brilliant Cristiano Ronaldo free-kick put Madrid 2-0 up at half-time and Angel Di Maria lobbed home a third goal just after the break, making Gabi`s 54th-minute penalty for Zaragoza nothing more than a consolation.
The triumph means Madrid have now rattled up three successive victories since losing 5-0 to Barcelona at the Nou Camp a fortnight ago, beating Valencia, Auxerre and now Zaragoza.
Madrid, for whom Jose Mourinho was back on the bench after missing the 4-0 Champions League win over Auxerre due to a touchline ban, survived an early let-off when Angel Lafita slid a low shot just wide of Iker Casillas` far post.
However, the visitors put themselves in charge in the 15th minute when Ozil stroked in their first.
A superb pass from Marcelo picked out Ozil on the right and the German international progressed into the area before sliding a shot through Leo Franco`s legs.
Karim Benzema, who netted a hat-trick against Auxerre, almost made it 2-0 soon after but he found himself crowded out by the Zaragoza defence, but there was nothing the hosts could do as Ronaldo did double Madrid`s advantage in the 44th minute.
Having been awarded a free-kick 25 yards out in the centre of the pitch, Ronaldo stepped up and thumped an unstoppable shot into Leo Franco`s top right-hand corner with the former Atletico Madrid custodian rooted to the spot.
That was Ronaldo`s 17th league goal of the season, leaving him two ahead of Lionel Messi at the top of the Primera Division scoring charts - although Messi will get the chance to reduce that gap when Barca play Real Sociedad on Sunday evening.
Ronaldo`s strike was the perfect way for Madrid to end the first half, and they enjoyed a similarly successful start to the second period as well with Di Maria putting them 3-0 up in the 47th minute.
The livewire Argentinian, who has been a fine asset for Madrid since his summer move from Benfica, raced onto Xabi Alonso`s through-ball and lobbed his shot over the outcoming Leo Franco and into the net.
Zaragoza gave themselves a glimmer of hope when they pulled a goal back from the spot, Gabi sending Casillas the wrong way after Ricardo Carvalho had brought down Nicolas Bertolo, but they rarely threatened a second goal in the remainder of the match.
Indeed, it was only Madrid who looked like adding to the scoreline and Benzema was denied by Leo Franco following a rapid breakaway that left three visiting forwards against one Zaragoza defender.
Lassana Diarra then came close to adding a fourth in the 80th minute but, after powering his way to the edge of the area and playing a good one-two with Di Maria, he saw his shot saved at the second attempt by Leo Franco.
