Isco scores twice and leads Real Madrid to roll over Bilbao.

In-form playmaker Isco struck twice and Cristiano Ronaldo netted his first goal of the campaign to give Luka Modric-inspired Real Madrid a 3-1 house win over Athletic Bilbao in La Liga on Sunday.

The comfortable victory in an peculiar midday kickoff at the Bernabeu gave Carlo Ancelotti's side a joint share of the lead in the standings with a perfect nine points from three games.
It also suggested the Real players have not been distracted by the drawn-out saga over the possible arrival of Gareth Bale from Tottenham Hotspur. 

Real have until Monday to wrap up the buy of the Wales international, which could set a transfer record of around 100 million euros ($132 million), according to media reports in Britain and Spain.

After a subdued begin at the giant, sun-moist arena, Karim Benzema dinked a pass through to Isco in the 26th minute and the Spain playmaker, who joined from Malaga in the close season, drilled a shot past Bilbao goalkeeper Iago Herrerin.

Ronaldo powered home a header moments before halftime for his 202nd goal in 202 official games for Real and his 11th against Bilbao, putting him on a par with the club's former strikers Raul and Hugo Sanchez.

Bilbao threatened a comeback on a couple of occasions before Isco picked up another assist from Benzema, again whistled by the home crowd after fluffing a number of chances, and the 21-year-old found the net with a sublime 72nd-minute strike.

Ibai Gomez made the scoreline slightly more respectable for the visitors, who have now conceded 22 goals in their last five league visits to the Bernabeu, when he clipped the ball past Diego Lopez in the 79th minute after neat work on the right from fellow substitute Oscar de Marcos.

"Things are going well for me," Isco said in an interview with Spanish television broadcaster Canal Plus. "We have only just started the season and three wins in three is the right path to follow to make it a good year for us," he added.

"We desire to save improving tiny by little and aspire to win all the competitions we are taking part in."