SAVE! Ronaldo could still get his hat-trick, but Pacheco saves brilliantly. Madrid continue to attack.
89'
Penalty goal scored by K. Benzema for Real Madrid!
PENALTY! It's a clear foul as Laguardia clips Bale in the area. Benzema will take...
GOAL! Benzema finally gets in on the act! Ronaldo, on a hat-trick, lets his striker partner take the spot-kick, finished low to the left past Pacheco. 4-0.
86'
Bale prompts a Madrid attack, before Perez counters on the Alaves right. The final ball is poor, though, and back come the hosts again. They are cruising.
83'
SAVE! Gomez is denied by Navas, who springs up to keep out Perez too! The initial deflected shot loops goalwards, but Navas saves and then beats Perez to the follow-up.
82'
Marcos Llorente gets yellow.
YELLOW! Llorente goes into the book for a foul on Sobrino on the touch-line.
81'
Bale fizzes a cross just in front of Pacheco, too far in front of Benzema for the forward to turn home. Madrid are still pushing for a fourth.
80'
Marcos Llorente enters the game and replaces Casemiro.
SUB! Casemiro is given a rest with 10 minutes remaining, with Llorente taking his place.
78'
Alaves have scarcely threatened in the second half and this effort from Perez is troubling no-one. He finds a little space, but scuffs an effort wide.
75'
SAVE! Ronaldo's trickery opens up space for Vazquez, but his shot is turned around the post by Pacheco. This last 15 minutes could drag for Alaves.
Minute
Description
74'
Burgui enters the game and replaces J. Guidetti.
SUB! There's an Alaves change, too, with Burgui on for Guidetti.
73'
Dani Ceballos enters the game and replaces M. Kovačić.
SUB! Zidane takes the opportunity to bring on Ceballos, the match-winner away from home, in place of Kovacic.
71'
CLOSE! Vazquez almost gets in on the act! He darts into the area and lashes just wide of the right-hand post.
70'
Ronaldo should have his hat-trick! Bale's cross from the right lands just in front of Ronaldo, but he opts against stretching to nod on target. He was away from the defence.
68'
Alaves win a free-kick just over 20 yards from goal, but Guidetti's effort does not threaten to trouble Navas. Madrid look more likely to get a fourth than the visitors do to get a consolation.
66'
SAVE! What a run from Hernandez! He slaloms through and a low finish is blocked by Pacheco, before Ruano scrambles clear.
65'
Madrid are desperate for Benzema to get his goal. Ronaldo plays him in, but the angle narrows and there is no way through. Vazquez's cross cannot then pick out a team-mate.
63'
Álvaro Medrán enters the game and replaces Manu García.
SUB! Manu Garcia is the other player to make way, with Medran on.
62'
Ibai Gómez enters the game and replaces Alfonso Pedraza.
SUB! Alaves respond to that goal with a double-change, Gomez replacing Pedraza in the first switch.
61'
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored a goal for Real Madrid! Assist by Lucas Vázquez.
Vazquez provides the assist this time, feeding a pass into Ronaldo's path for a simple finish.
GOAL! There's number three and it's Ronaldo again! He ghosts into the box and rifles a low finish past Pacheco. 3-0.
59'
Bale goes down in the area and he wants a penalty. There's nothing doing, Ruano having challenged the winger.
57'
Madrid are dominant. Carvajal skips inside, Ronaldo tees up Bale and Alaves clear. Not for long, and Madrid win a corner.
CLOSE! Another corner as Varane's header deflects over the top. Pacheco looked to have that covered.
55'
It's Benzema's turn to have a go, but this time it's nowhere near the goal. Pacheco breathes again.
54'
CLOSE! Bale whips an effort just over the top! This could get embarrassing for Alaves if they're not careful.
52'
Madrid should have a third! Benzema is again involved in the build-up, playing Vazquez in on the right. The Spaniard looks to cross instead of shoot and Ruano recovers to nudge the ball back to Pacheco.
51'
OFFSIDE! Still no goal for Benzema as the flag goes up! He is just an inch or two offside as he finishes beyond Pacheco.
50'
SAVE! Alaves are still attacking and Navas is forced into action again! Sobrino controls well in the area, taking a cross from the right, but his shot on the turn is tame and straight at the goalkeeper.
49'
Alaves waste a corner and Madrid win one of their own. It goes short to Hernandez, but his cross is too deep and cleared.
47'
Alaves are quickly back on the attack, but Navas smothers the ball in the area. It might well be too little too late now for the visitors.
46'
G. Bale has scored a goal for Real Madrid! Assist by K. Benzema.
KICK-OFF: Alaves, trailing 1-0, get us back under way.
Benzema gets his second assist, brilliantly harrying Ruano to take possession and slip Bale in.
GOAL! Bale scores! Well that didn't take long, did it? Alaves give the ball away from the kick-off, Bale streaks away on the left and slides a finish past Pacheco. 2-0.
45' +3
HALF-TIME: Madrid 1 Alaves 0
45' +2
The hosts deal with the set-piece efficiently this time. They have the opportunity now to attack one last time in the first half.
CLOSE! Benzema almost gets his goal! A lovely curling effort from the left goes just wide.
45' +1
SAVE! Ruano is in the clear from the second phase of the corner and his drive is brilliantly blocked by Navas. There will be two minutes of stoppage time as Alaves have another corner.
45'
Alaves are looking for a swift response and Hernandez gives away a corner...
44'
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored a goal for Real Madrid! Assist by K. Benzema.
GOAL! Madrid have the breakthrough and it's Ronaldo of course! He turns in the area and lashes into the bottom-left corner. Instinctive. 1-0.
After missing a couple of chances, it is Benzema's wonderful backheel that tees up Ronaldo. The goalscorer celebrates with his strike partner.
43'
CLOSE! Casemiro has a go and it's not far away! He shoots from right to left, the ball skipping across Pacheco and just past the left-hand post.
42'
Madrid again clear the corner, but they cannot counter this time, with Alaves getting men back quickly as the hosts hesitate in possession.
41'
That's not to say Alaves are not providing a threat, too. Another cross from the left flashes across the face of goal and Hernandez stabs the ball behind.
39'
Madrid are really turning up the heat. Ronaldo blocks a clearance and Alaves recover, before Vazquez stabs wide and claims for a penalty. There have been chances aplenty in this first half.
38'
CHANCE! More sublime goalkeeping, but only after an error from Pacheco! He presents the ball to Bale right in front of goal, before reacting excellently to smother.
37'
SAVE! What a stop from Navas! Pedraza pounces on the block from his own cross, driving an effort towards the bottom-right corner. Navas parries and then dives on the loose ball. Superb.
35'
SAVE! Back come Madrid with Vazquez! With Ronaldo still struggling, Vazquez switches over to the left, cutting inside to drive at Pacheco.
34'
Alaves have really come into this game in the last five minutes, aided by Madrid's sloppy play. Pedraza crosses and Navas has to be alert to claim.
33'
Ronaldo goes down, holding his calf, and it is not clear whether he really is injured or just wants a penalty after a challenge with Laguardia. He may not know an offside call has gone against him.
32'
SAVE! Guidetti has a go this time as Hernandez and Nacho make a mess of a high ball, but a low strike is well held by Navas.
30'
CHANCE! Just over the top from Perez! Varane shows a brilliant piece of skill to beat a man earlier in the move, but he is too lax when he attempts the same trick again. Alaves move forward at speed and Perez has space to shoot, unchallenged 20 yards out, but places an effort over the top.
28'
WIDE! Bale wins another corner and Madrid learn their lesson, going short to Ronaldo. His curler drops just beyond the far post.
27'
Madrid are playing with some fluency now. Vazquez's latest dash down the right results in a corner.
After a scramble in the area, Alaves break once again! The visitors are through two-on-two but a poor touch allows Hernandez to intercept.
25'
CLOSE! What an effort from Bale! Casemiro brilliantly halts Pedraza and the latest Alaves move, before Benzema is freed on the left. He beats a man and crosses for Bale to acrobatically volley just wide. What an effort.
24'
An offside flag denies Benzema further embarrassment! Vazquez slides in Ronaldo, who is just offside, and his square ball is turned against the post by Benzema from point-blank range. Incredible.
23'
Bale drives towards the box and looks to lift a cross to Ronaldo at the back post, but his ball is too strong and flies over the head of his team-mate.
21'
Another poor set-piece, another counter. Hernandez brings down an advancing Alaves player, but there's no card this time.
20'
Rubén Sobrino gets yellow.
Madrid's play has been so loose and they are fortunate to see a foul called as Carvajal gives the ball away and Alaves look to break again. It does not initially look like a foul.
YELLOW! Replays suggest it's a good call. Sobrino is booked for a foul on Carvajal.
18'
CHANCE! A huge opening for Benzema! Madrid break at speed following the corner and Benzema has time and space on the right side of the Alaves area. He slips and pushes a finish just wide, prompting jeers from the home fans.
17'
Again? Nacho is down and wants to change his boots, too. An Alaves counter forces a corner. This has been a really stop-start opening 17 minutes.
16'
SAVE! Bale feeds Ronaldo on the left and the Portuguese works Pacheco for the first time. It's a low drive that the goalkeeper deals with comfortably.
15'
There's no rhythm to the play from either side, surely due to the many stoppages. Madrid continue to attack, with Navas back on his feet.
13'
Yet another knock! Navas goes down after making a crucial intervention, charging from his goal-line to beat Sobrino to the ball. Nacho had given possession up cheaply.
12'
It looks like Perez took a knock to the head in a challenge and he could have a problem. He is being helped onto a stretcher.
11'
There is yet another stoppage as Perez goes down for Alaves. There has been very little 11 v 11 play in the opening 11 minutes.
10'
Ely meets the consequent corner and Alaves clear. Sobrino keeps the ball in play on the right and forces a throw-in at the other end.
9'
A first sight of goal for Ronaldo. He turns in the area and shoots, but his effort is deflected behind for a corner.
8'
Madrid cross from the right, but Torres is there to clear. He swipes at the ball, which runs fortuitously through to Pacheco. Pedraza comes back on as Carvajal now changes his boots on the touch-line.
7'
Pedraza is still receiving treatment. He looks to have hurt his arm as he rolled into the advertising boards.
5'
H. Pérez gets yellow.
YELLOW! Perez collects the game's first booking, kicking out at Hernandez as the Madrid man nipped in to reach the ball first.
4'
When the visitors do come forward for the first time, there's an optimistic penalty appeal as Pedraza beats Carvajal to the ball and goes down. He's still lying prone off the end of the pitch as Madrid restart the game with a goal-kick.
3'
Alaves have not seen the ball at all so far. This is a confident start from the hosts.
2'
A first effort comes after just over a minute, but Casemiro lashes over the top from 20 yards. Madrid had kept the ball with ease up to that point.
1'
KICK-OFF: Madrid get us under way!
Hello and welcome to our live text commentary of today's LaLiga match between Real Madrid and Alaves at Santiago Bernabeu!
Madrid leapfrogged Valencia into third place with victory at Leganes on Wednesday, and they now have second-placed Atletico Madrid in their sights. Zinedine Zidane's men are seven points behind city rivals Atleti, who they still have to play at Bernabeu later this season.
Madrid (4-4-2): Keylor Navas, Daniel Carvajal, Raphael Varane, Nacho, Theo Hernandez, Lucas Vazquez, Casemiro, Mateo Kovacic, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo was rested for the trop to Leganes, so let's see if he's back in the fold today, along with the rest of the team news...
Subs: Antonio Sivera, Guillermo Maripan, Ibai Gomez, Burgui, Tomas Pina, Alvaro Medran, Martin Aguirregabiria.
Alaves: Fernando Pacheco, Alexis Ruano, Victor Laguardia, Rodrigo Ely, Ruben Duarte, Hernan Perez, Manu Garcia, Daniel Torres, Alfonso Pedraza, John Guidetti, Ruben Sobrino.
Madrid's BBC front line is in from the start - with only Benzema lining up at Estadio Municipal de Butarque in midweek - as Isco drops to the bench. Sergio Ramos is suspended and Marco Asensio has a knock, but Navas returns to the side.
Alaves have won their last three matches and so it is a little surprising to see Abelardo Fernandez make four changes. Suspended former Barcelona man Munir El Haddadi - the match-winner against Deportivo la Coruna last time out - is among those missing.
Bale starts then for the hosts, and the Welshman was the subject of Zidane's pre-match news conference yesterday. "He is an important player," the coach said. "He will always be an important player. He is training hard, working hard like the rest of my players. I want to see Gareth at 100 per cent. I do not want him to get injured again."
Despite their fine run, Alaves will be up against it today - perhaps even more so than usual when visiting the Spanish, European and world champions. Madrid are unbeaten in six in LaLiga, scoring an incredible 26 goals in the process.
The 16th-placed side were beaten 2-1 in the reverse fixture, with Dani Ceballos scoring twice for the capital club.
The teams are in the tunnel in Madrid! We're less than five minutes away from kick-off.
There is a minute's silence before the match in memory of the policeman killed at the Athletic Bilbao v Spartak Moscow match on Thursday.
We'll bring you all the action from the second half shortly...
Ronaldo's goal separates the sides after a frantic first half. Madrid are good value for their lead, but Alaves have had chances too.
It's another big win for Madrid as the BBC blow Alaves away. Ronaldo got two, Bale's strike early in the second half ended the match as a contest and Benzema's penalty capped the scoring late on.
That's all from this one. Thanks for joining us and, until next time, goodbye!
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