Real Madrid have moved to within one point of second-placed Atletico Madrid in the La Liga table courtesy of a 7-1 win over Celta Vigo at the Bernabeu on Saturday afternoon.
Cristiano Ronaldo hit four for Los Blancos, while Pepe, Jese Rodriguez and Gareth Bale were also on the scoresheet for the hosts, who now trail league leaders Barcelona by nine points.
Celta struck themselves just past the hour when Iago Aspas produced a classy chip, but the visitors fell apart in the second period after matching their opponents for long stages of the first 45 minutes.
Zidane kept faith with 18-year-old Borja Mayoral in the final third of the field, while Lucas Vasquez also retained his spot in the Real Madrid XI, with Bale ultimately making his return from the bench.
Luka Modric and Toni Kroos were both absent for the home side through injury and illness respectively, which allowed Casemiro and Mateo Kovacic rare chances to impress from the start.
As for Celta, Gustavo Cabral missed out through suspension, while John Guidetti was left on the bench as head coach Eduardo Berizzo went for Aspas as his lone centre-forward.
As expected, it was Real Madrid that dominated possession in the opening 10 minutes, but it was Celta that looked the more threatening and on two separate occasions, Daniel Wass and Aspas almost broke through on the home side's goal.
Aspas had a wonderful chance to send the visitors ahead in the 14th minute, but the striker's initial header struck the post, before Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas got down to make a fine save from the rebound.
The home side's first attempt on target came in the 20th minute when Ronaldo struck one towards the top corner, but young Celta stopper Ruben Blanco made a smart stop, before making an even better save to keep out a close-range Isco effort moments later.
Blanco made another fine save in the 40th minute to keep out a Casemiro header, but Real Madrid had the lead less than one minute later when Pepe rose above everyone inside the box to head into the bottom corner and ensure that the capital side would take a lead into the half-time break.
The home side had their second in the 50th minute when Ronaldo, who cut a frustrated figure for much of the first period, turned outside the box and hammered a powerful effort into the back of the net.
Eight minutes later, Ronaldo had his second when he fired a free kick into the top corner to end Celta's hopes of a comeback in the final 30 minutes in the Spanish capital.
Moments later, Ronaldo almost completed his hat-trick when he hit another set piece towards the top corner, but Blanco pushed the ball onto the crossbar to keep the score down to three.
Celta hit back with a goal of their own just past the hour when Aspas, who should have scored in the first period, expertly chipped Navas after breaking through on goal.
Ronaldo completed his treble in the 65th minute when he turned home an Isco cross from close range, before heading past Blanco for his fourth in the 76th minute.
Jese, who came off the bench alongside Bale, then made it six for Real Madrid 13 minutes from time when he drove into the Celta box and finished into the back of the net.
Celta continued to fall apart in the latter stages and Bale marked his comeback with a goal in the 81st minute - driving into the box before finishing to make it seven on the afternoon late on.
Matt Law
