Real see off Cadiz with second-half fightback
Spectacular strikes from Roberto Carlos and David Beckham and a breathtaking effort from Robinho allowed Real Madrid to come from a goal down for a 3-1 win at home to Cadiz on Saturday.
Real looked to be in trouble after the modest Andalucians had grabbed the lead 10 minutes into the second half when striker Alexandre Medina steered home past keeper Iker Casillas.
But the home side turned the game on its head with two set-piece goals in four minutes, the first a Roberto Carlos rocket shot and the second a sweetly struck Beckham curler.
Robinho, who has failed to live up to his Galactico billing since joining Real from Santos at the start of the season, capped a much-improved performance with an impressive dipping lob seven minutes from time.
The victory, Real's second in five league games, lifted them into third place, level on points with Valencia and 10 behind champions and league leaders Barcelona, who host basement side Alaves on Sunday.
Earlier, an aggressive Atletico Madrid earned their first win in 11 league games after goals from Maxi Rodriguez and Fernando Torres gave them a 2-0 win at Real Zaragoza.
Maxi scored just before the half hour when he poked a shot under advancing keeper Cesar after scorching down the right to meet a clever through ball from playmaker Ariel Ibagaza.
The Argentine winger then helped secure the points when he won a penalty early in the second half after being felled by Cesar following another great run along the right wing.
Leading striker Torres sent Cesar the wrong way with his spot kick as Atletico produced a determined and gritty display throughout to inflict a first defeat in seven league matches on Zaragoza, who put them out of the King's Cup in midweek.
It was also a first win for Atletico's new coach Pepe Murcia who took charge when Carlos Bianchi was sacked this month.