Real Madrid get set for PSG by hammering Real Sociedad

Real Madrid enjoyed the perfect preparation for Paris Saint-Germain by thrashing Real Sociedad 4-1 on Saturday to move eight points clear at the top of La Liga. Madrid had to come from behind at the Santiago Bernabeu as two scintillating long-range strikes from Eduardo Camavinga and Luka Modric turned the game on its head, before a Karim Benzema penalty and a tap-in for Marco Asensio completed an emphatic victory.

Camavinga's strike, his second goal for Madrid, was timely given the 19-year-old may have to start against PSG on Wednesday, with Toni Kroos, absent here, struggling with a hamstring strain. Madrid are tasked with overturning a 1-0 deficit from the first leg in Paris if they are to reach the quarter-finals.

Everything, though, seems easier with the 36-year-old Modric, whose own wonder-goal was the highlight of another mesmeric display, for which he earned a standing ovation from the home crowd in the second half. Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar will provide a sterner test for Madrid's back four in midweek but this was a particularly encouraging performance from Carlo Ancelotti's attack, which was far more dynamic after struggling for goals in recent weeks.

A fit and in-form Benzema will help and the 34-year-old now looks sharp again after recovering from his own hamstring injury last month. Benzema has three goals in his last three games, and had two disallowed against La Real before finally scoring from the spot.

Real Madrid started sloppily and had to come from behind after David Silva's touch and shift was too quick for Dani Carvajal, who caught the midfielder's trailing right foot. Thibaut Courtois dived the right way but Mikel Oyarzabal's penalty had too much power and whip, the ball nestling into