Madrid - Karim Benzema and super-sub Kaka were the heroes on Saturday as Real Madrid beat minnows Tenerife 3-0 at home, keeping intact their 100 per-cent record. Their fifth win in five games puts Real back on top with 15 points, three points ahead of Barcelona - who are away to Malaga later on Saturday - and of Sevilla, who enjoyed a 4-0 romp away to Athletic Bilbao.
Curiously, Real did not play well and were whistled off the Bernabeu field at half-time, with the score 0-0.
Coach Manuel Pellegrini wisely decided to bring Kaka off the substitutes' bench - he had planned to give the Brazilian a rest - and the hosts immediately improved.
Three minutes into the second half, Benzema made it 1-0 with a clever header, on a centre from the fit-again Xabi Alonso.
In the 58th minute Benzema took advantage of a ridiculous error by Tenerife defender Manolo Martinez to make it 2-0.
Even so, the islanders did not give up and Omar Ramos hit a Real post. But in the 77th minute Kaka made it 3-0 with one of his trademark long-range drives - and the game was effectively over.
Sevilla, meanwhile, were romping to a 4-0 victory in Bilbao with goals from Renato, Alvaro Negredo, Frederic Kanoute and Jesus Navas.
Bilbao were crippled by the second-off of Spain defender Fernando Amorebieta.
Sevilla lost their first match in Valencia but have since recovered well to score four successive wins. They appear to be the only team that can prevent another two-horse race between Real and Barca.
