Few can deny that Real Madrid are a better team when Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema are all fit and firing.

Bale returned from injury in some style on Tuesday night as he emerged from the bench to help Los Blancos to a 2-2 draw at home to Fuenlabrada, and with it, passage to the next round of the Copa del Rey.

His first strike of the season had come in the Spanish Supercopa in August and it was in that series against Barcelona that Ronaldo was shown a red card and handed a subsequent five-match ban for pushing the referee.

The Portuguese also found life difficult upon his return and has only two goals to his name in La Liga, one a rebound after he saw a penalty saved at home to Malaga last weekend.

All three players have been booed at the Santiago Bernabeu this season and just when it appeared the trio were ready to get back into the groove together, Bale is missing again.