Real Madrid player ratings: Karim Benzema bags three, Vinicius Jr sets up two as Real Madrid smash SIX past Real Valladolid ahead of Copa Clasico

Three goals in seven first-half minutes from Karim Benzema broke open a tight contest as Real Madrid cruised to a 6-0 victory over Valladolid.

Rodrygo opened the scoring after a dour start. Marco Asensio created it, dribbling through the centre of the pitch and slipping the Brazilian through — who drove his finish into the far corner.

Benzema made it two five minutes later, nodding Vinicius Jr's angled cross home from short range. He completed his hat-trick before half-time, with a fine curler and acrobatic flick, rounding out a devastating first-half showing. Asensio and Lucas Vazquez added two more in the second, turning a rout into a thrashing.

This win will likely be of little consequence in La Liga; Los Blancos trail Barcelona by 12 points in the league. But with the two sides due to meet in a Copa del Rey semi-final on Wednesday, it might just have been the perfect warm-up.

GOAL rates Real Madrid's players from Santiago Bernabeu...