Real Madrid moved back to within five points of La Liga co-leaders Barcelona and Atletico Madrid with a hard-fought 3-0 win at home to Celta Vigo.
Karim Benzema opened the scoring yesterday before a late double from Cristiano Ronaldo sealed the win as Celta were made to pay for passing up a host of clear-cut chances.
With the scoreline still deadlocked with an hour played, Real boss Carlo Ancelotti introduced the fit-again Gareth Bale and Jese Rodriguez from the bench in the search of a goal.
The Italian was rewarded when Jese squared for Benzema to break the deadlock 23 minutes from time.
Ronaldo killed the game as a contest when he rolled home Dani Carvajal's cross before Bale provided his seventh assist of the season for Ronaldo to fire home his second in stoppage time.
And Ancelotti accepted that his side had been far from their best on their return to competitive action after a two-week lay-off.
"We didn't play well, especially in the first-half. Our play was slow, but that is quite normal that after a break the team doesn't have the same rhythm.
"In the second-half our intensity was better and we came through the game well in the end."
The visitors had enjoyed the best of the first-half and should have been in front after just five minutes when Charles galloped into a huge gap behind the Madrid defence but could only fire into the side-netting.
