TEAM NEWS: Real Madrid - Lopez, Carvajal, Pepe, Ramos, Coentrao, Alonso, Illarramendi, Di Maria, Bale, Ronaldo, Benzema. /// Rayo Vallecano - Ruben, Arbilla, Ze Borja, Rat, Saul, Trashorras, Falque, Rochina, Bueno, Larrivey.

Illarramendi breaks from midfield and tries to set Bale free down the left side, but Rat comes across the cut out the pass. The Real Madrid midfielder probably should have kept hold of the ball a bit longer.

I'm not quite sure why Ancelotti is keeping Ronaldo on the pitch. Barcelona kept Messi on the pitch with an injury once and it resulted in him being out for months. Real have Dortmund in the Champions League this week as well!

This could be a problem for Real Madrid. Ronaldo is down on the turf in some pain. He has been struggling with a knee injury this week. Could he have aggrevated that injury in a challenge or stretch?

An awkward cross comes into the Real Madrid box from Trashorras, but Ramos gets in front of Larrivey to put the ball behind for a corner kick with a diving header. The set piece is cleared by the home team.

Bale and Ronaldo stand over the freekick, but it's actually Ramos who takes it. However, his shot flashes over the crossbar.

Ronaldo almost gets on the end of a through ball, but the keeper gets there first to make the slide tackle. But when the rebound falls to Benzema he is fouled on the edge of the box before he can get a shot away.

Di Maria seems to be playing more on the wing tonight. He's been used as a central midfielder by Ancelotti in recent months, excelling in that position. But he's on the left this evening.

Benzema has had a good season for Real Madrid but even still, you just get the feeling that he misses too many chances. That should have been a goal. For instance, he could have had about four against Barca and Real ended up losing the game.

How did he miss? Ronaldo breaks the offside trap and plays a square pass to Benzema, who looks to have the simple task of tapping home. But his control lets him down and the ball dribbles past him!

That is a strange one. Rochina didn't seem to be carrying an injury and looks perplexed as he trudges off the pitch. Is that a tactical change from Jemez?

Rayo Vallecano sub: Ruben Rochina OFF, Jose Carlos Fernandez ON.

Well, this is interesting. It actually looks like Jemez is preparing to make a change. There's a Rayo Vallecano player waiting on the touchline to come on.

Perhaps Jemez is regretting coming to the Bernabeu with such an attacking lineup now. They've seen very little of the ball and their attacking players like Larrivey, Falque and Bueno have done nothing.

Ronaldo breaks the offside trap but he can't quite gather the long ball over the top from Alonso, with the keeper sweeping up. Replays show he was actually offside but Ronaldo is annoyed with himself for not doing better.

Bale gets to the byline with a few stepovers and fakes, but can't find a teammate when he tries to pass the ball into the six yard box. Ruben does well to get down low and collect it.

Real Madrid and Ronaldo are enjoying themselves now. The rain is falling quite heavily in Madrid but that isn't affecting the home team. They're zipping the ball around, making Rayo chase it.

That first touch from Ronaldo was incredible. With just one shifting of the ball he broke through on goal while taking three opposition players out of the game in the process.

GOAL! Real Madrid 1 (15 mins - Cristiano Ronaldo) Rayo Vallecano 0. Really nice goal and Real Madrid have the lead. Bale plays the ball to Ronaldo, who takes out three defenders with his first touch before rolling the ball into the far corner of the net.