Real Madrid 4 - Sporting Lisbon 0

Real Madrid: César; Geremi, Iván Campo, Iván Helguera, Roberto Carlos; Celades, Makelele; Figo (McManaman 52'), Guti, Savio (Solari 67'); Munitis (Morientes 60'). 4-2-3-1.

Goals:
1-0. 12. Guti. Header from close range after Figo's shot blocked.
2-0. 42. Savio. From close range after Guti's square pass.
3-0. 62. Morientes. Shot across keeper after through ball from McManaman.
4-0. 69. Morientes. Headed back past keeper after free kick from Solari on left.

Fernando Morientes returned to centre stage in style after returning from an injury that has kept him out of the side all season. The striker came on as substitute for Munitis on the hour mark, and within a minute he already had his name on the scoreboard, taking a defence splitting pass from McManaman and beating Schmeichel's substitute Nelson with his first touch of the match. Seven minutes later he made it two with a phenomenal leap to head home Solari's free kick from the left. Curiously, both McManaman and Solari had also only been on the park a few minutes when they made their contributions, Macca making a rare appearance in place of Figo, who was taken off as a precaution after receiving a yellow card, and Solari replacing Roberto Carlos at left back, a position he has played in on occasions.

By the time Del Bosque made his three changes, Madrid were already two up against a deflated Sporting side who are bottom of the group. Already qualified for the next phase, the Madrid manager permitted himself the luxury of resting Raúl, Hierro, Flavio and Casillas, with Celades coming back after an injury and Guti and Munitis making up a makeshift attack. Guti though is on splendid form this season, taking to his new attacking role like a duck to water, and he opened the scoring in typical goal-poacher style, heading past the keeper from close range after Figo's shot ballooned off a defender and up in the air. Figo was playing his first game since his noisy return to Barcelona's Nou Camp at the weekend, and the crowd applauded his every move in a sign of support for the player. Guti forced a couple of saves out of Nelson before combining with Munitis to leave Savio with the easy task of scoring into an empty net and take them in at the interval with a two goal lead. It had not all been Madrid in the first half though, and César had earned his money with two or three first class saves, particularly from the two Pintos, Joao and Sa, which could have put Sporting back in the match.

Both Figo and Helguera managed to pick up their third yellow cards of the campaign, which conveniently means they will both miss the last match against Spartak Moscow in two weeks time and start the second league phase clean. The game is of little importance for Madrid, who are sure of being top of group A, having picked up 13 points from their five matches. Spartak though will be giving it their all, as they really need a point to be sure of classification. They are currently second on nine points, with Bayer Leverkusen on six and Sporting on one. With fifteen goals to their name so far, the reigning European Champions are the top scorers in the competition, and must fancy their chances to go far again this season. And all that (less 30 minutes and two goals) without Morientes!