Real Madrid fans haven't had much to get excited about this season but a big win over Paris Saint-Germain after a commanding La Liga victory last week was a cause for a grin.
Zinedine Zidane isn't out of the woods yet though and needs his side to be much-improved between now and the end of the season.
Certainly his side are still playing for him and this 90 minutes showed precisely why Madrid are where they are in La Liga - notably miles behind Barcelona - but why they remain major contenders for a third successive Champions League crown.
Zidane shuffled his pack for the trip to Seville, where Europa League chasing Real Betis were waiting.
And what occurred was one of the most exciting matches seen anywhere in Europe this term.
Follow all of the action, as it happened, below...
Real Betis: Adan; Barragan, Bartra, Amat, Mandi; Junior, Fabian, Guardado; Joaquin, Boudebouz; Loren.
Real Madrid: Navas; Carvajal, Nacho, Ramos, Marcelo; Vazquez, Casemiro, Kovacic, Asensio; Ronaldo, Bale.
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Real Betis Betis 3 - 5 R. Madrid Real Madrid
HT 2-1
Aissa Mandi33'
Nacho37'
Sergio León85'
Marco Asensio11'
Sergio Ramos50'
Marco Asensio59'
Cristiano Ronaldo65'
Karim Benzema90+2'