Karim Benzema scored the only goal of the match as Real Madrid recorded a 1-0 win at Sevilla on Sunday night to rise into second spot in La Liga.
Madrid entered the match having not won at the Estadio Ramon in Spain's top flight since May 2015, but Benzema's second-half header proved enough for Los Blancos to pick up three huge points.
Zinedine Zidane's position as head coach of the capital giants continues to be called into question, but the Frenchman's side are ahead of the likes of Atletico Madrid and Barcelona after five games of the season.
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Madrid had a half-chance in the sixth minute of the match when Ferland Mendy delivered a dangerous cross onto the head of Benzema, but the France international missed the target from a central area.
The visitors made a good start in terms of possession, but Sevilla - spurred on by a vocal home crowd - were causing plenty of problems on the break with deliveries from wide positions causing all sorts of problems.
Luuk de Jong gave Madrid an early scare when he climbed highest inside the penalty box before heading towards goal, but Casemiro did well to make the block ahead of his goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
Sergio Reguilon - on loan from Madrid - was next to cause Zidane's an issue in the 18th minute with a dangerous low cross, although Courtois did well to claim the ball under pressure from De Jong.
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Los Blancos were having their moments in the final third through Bale, but Sevilla were offering the greater threat as the first period continued to gather pace at the Estadio Ramon.
Sevilla boss Julen Lopetegui was kicking every ball on the touchline, and the former Spain manager picked up a yellow card in the 28th minute for signalling that Los Blancos right-back Dani Carvajal should have been handed a second booking for another late challenge.
The hosts had a half-chance in the 32nd minute when De Jong again climbed highest inside the Madrid box to meet a dangerous delivery, but the Dutchman's header was always moving wide of the post.
Eden Hazard then brought a fine save from Tomas Vaclik down the other end after bursting into life inside the Sevilla box.
Madrid had another opening in the 38th minute after Carvajal raced onto a through pass from James Rodriguez, only for Vaclik to stand tall and make another big save for the home side.
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It was a difficult first half for the referee as both sets of players continued to lock horns, with Carvajal and Franco Vazquez coming together in the 41st minute in an incident which forced the Spanish official to intervene.
The first half-chance of the second period fell to Madrid as Bale looked to pick out James with a dangerous cross in the 49th minute, but the Colombia international could not make contact at the far post.
The score was still level entering the final 30 minutes of action at the Estadio Ramon, with both sides almost cancelling each other out during a high-tempo affair.
Madrid finally made the breakthrough in the 64th minute, however, when Benzema hung in the air before heading a pin-point Carvajal cross into the back of the net from close range.
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Lucas Ocampos blasted one over the crossbar in the spell that followed as Sevilla looked to level, while Javier Hernandez was introduced off the bench in a bid to harm Zidane's side.
De Jong headed a big chance for the home side wide of the post in the 78th minute, before neither the Dutchman nor Hernandez gambled on a brilliant Ocampos cross minutes later.
Sevilla did have the ball in the back of the net in the 87th minute when Hernandez scored from close range, but the Mexican was clearly offside, and the visitors held on late on to claim a big win.
Next up for Madrid, who are level on points with Athletic Bilbao at the summit, is a home game against Osasuna on Wednesday, while Sevilla will travel to Eibar on Thursday.
SEVILLA (4-3-3): Vaclik; Navas, Carlos, Carrico (Nolito 82'), Reguilon; Fernando, Jordan (Hernandez 69'), Banega; Ocampos, De Jong, Vazquez (Torres 52')
REAL MADRID (4-3-3): Courtois; Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Mendy; Kroos, Casemiro, James (Valverde 76'); Bale, Benzema, Hazard (Lucas 90')
Matt Law
