Real Madrid passed their first acid test of the Rafa Benitez era with a 2-1 win in Bilbao.
Athletic Club are renowned as being one of the toughest away trips in La Liga's calendar and Madrid headed north with no Sergio Ramos.
But Karim Benzema's brace, either side of an Athletic equaliser, secured all three points.
ll the indications had been that Real Madrid would start defensive midfielder Casemiro to counter the aerial strength of Athletic Club.
The strapping Brazilian was tipped to mark Raul Garcia - so often the scorer of a key headed goal when at Atletico Madrid - and leave Pepe and Raphael Varane to deal with Aritz Aduriz.
But Rafael Benitez, despite having said "Casemiro could be important," opted to hand Mateo Kovacic a first Real Madrid start alongside his compatriot and idol Luka Modric.
When Athletic's goal came, it inevitably was a header from a cross.
Athletic's best chance of winning this game - or at least getting a point - was to keep it tight and rely on set pieces and other areas where they had a clear advantage over their visitors from the capital.
So they didn't need to be gifting Madrid a goal, but that's precisely what happened
Ronaldo
One goal to reach 500 for the career, three to break Raúl's record and become Real Madrid's greatest-ever goalscorer.
With Ronaldo, who only last week netted five in a single game, it was all possible tonight.
But it turned out to be another blank for the Portuguese - a second game in a row where Benzema, rather than he, has saved Madrid.
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