Real put eight past Deportivo
Although Los Blancos needed around 30 minutes to break the deadlock through Ronaldo, once Carlo Ancelotti's side had got the first goal they went about mauling their hosts and buried the memory of last weekend's defeat to local rivals Atletico Madrid by blitzing the Galicians 8-2.
While Ronaldo, Bale and substitute Hernandez contributed the majority of the goals, James Rodriguez also scored his first goal in the Primera Division, while Haris Medunjanin and Toche replied for the hosts.
Madrid made a rampant start to the game and peppered the Depor goal in search of an opener, which arrived just before the half-hour mark.
Ronaldo picked out Alvaro Arbeloa over on the right hand side and then ghosted into the box to head his team-mate's high cross looping into the far corner, scoring at Riazor for the first time.
Madrid would not be content with just the one-goal lead at the break and extended their advantage less than 10 minutes later, Rodriguez receiving the ball 25 yards from goal before sending a perfectly-executed left-footed shot into the top corner.
Depor were out of sorts and desperate, and found themselves exposed again before the break.
Marcelo's long ball from deep split the hosts' defence and gave Benzema a clear path to goal, which was blocked by the out-rushing German Lux, who sent the Frenchman to the floor.
The goalkeeper was spared an almost certain red card by Ronaldo, who knocked the loose ball into the empty net from outside the area.
Depor were given faint hope of an unlikely comeback shortly after the break, Medunjanin stroking home from the penalty spot after Sergio Ramos was judged to have blocked a cross with his arm.
The goal breathed some life into Depor, with Luis Farina testing Iker Casillas soon after and then substitute Ivan Cavaleiro shot high over the Spain captain's bar.
However, Madrid soon put the game to bed through Bale, who shot on the turn to score goal number four, Lux unable to prevent the ball bouncing off the post and trickling into the net.
But neither the Welshman nor Madrid were done yet.
Substitute Isco spotted a gap in the now ragged Depor defence and threaded the ball through to Bale, who chipped Lux to score goal number five, and Ronaldo then completed his treble by slamming the ball into the bottom far corner after Rodriguez dispossessed a Depor defender in his own area.
But there was still time for more goals.
Toche headed past Casillas to score Depor's second, but that brief moment of relief for the hosts was soon cancelled out by Hernandez, who struck twice in the space of four minutes to complete the rout.
