Real Madrid 2 Espanyol 0: Gareth Bale scores on his return from a three-month layoff as he and Alvaro Morata send Galaticos four points clear in La Liga charts
Welshman came on as a second-half sub as Zinedine Zidane's men go even further clear of Barcelona, with a game in hand
GARETH BALE scored on his eagerly-anticipated return from a three-month injury lay-off, as he and Alvaro Morata sent Real Madrid three points clear at the top of the La Liga standings.
Morata got Real off to a solid start, breaking the deadlock in the 33rd-minute when he nodded home a pinpoint cross from Isco.
Real dominated from start to finish, but struggled to hit the target with their uncharacteristically wayward shooting.
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But there was good news for Zinedine Zidane's men as Bale came off the bench to make his first appearance since November following an ankle tendon injury.
And just minutes after stepping out onto the pitch, the Welsh forward had found the net.
The former Tottenham man picked up the ball around the halfway line and went on a typical charge up the pitch before firing a low, angled shot into the bottom corner.
The win puts Real four points clear at the top of the La Liga standings, with a game in hand over second-placed Barcelona.
Zidane's Galacticos will next face Valencia away on Wednesday evening.
