Real Madrid are above Barcelona in LaLiga for the first time in 818 days.

Zinedine Zidane’s side secured a 3-1 opening-day win over Celta Vigo on Saturday as Barcelona lost 1-0 to Athletic Bilbao thanks to a stunning Aduriz overhead kick 24 hours earlier.

Real have struggled in LaLiga for the past two seasons, while Barcelona have dominated the league.

Goals from Karim Benzema, Toni Kroos and Lucas Vazquez made sure Luka Modric’s 56th-minute red card did not affect the result.

Gareth Bale, who almost moved to China earlier this summer, assisted Benzema’s strike after being a surprise inclusion in the starting XI.

It is a dramatic U-turn from Zidane, who had previously made it clear he did not want Bale at the Bernabeu.

The Frenchman has been left short of wide options following a thigh injury to summer signing Eden Hazard.

Speaking about Bale’s future after their win at Celta Vigo, Zidane said: “He’s going to stay and we all have to think of that as a positive thing.

“The injury to Eden Hazard was bad luck for us but it didn’t change the plans we had for Bale in this game.

“Gareth and everyone else here is going to show this shirt the respect it deserves.”

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