Intensity key for Zizou

Real Madrid must match the intensity of a stunning first 45 minutes urged coach Zinedine Zidane after snapping a four-game draw streak with a 6-1 rout at Real Betis on Saturday.

Zidane's men surrendered top spot on goal difference to city rivals Atletico Madrid with three consecutive draws prior to the international break.

However, a two-week layoff seemed to do the European champions a world of good as they stormed into a 4-0 lead before half-time to blow Betis away.

"After four draws we had to have a game like this. We played with the necessary intensity to win," said Zidane. "There are no small teams. This is a difficult place to come but we started strongly and it is tough for the opponent when we play like that."

Zidane had slammed his side's slow starts earlier this season.

"They are intelligent, good players. They know we have to start in that manner and they did well. When we play with the intensity required it makes it difficult for the opponent.

"We have worked on that, but we need to be consistent. This match is a reference point."

Victory took Real back level with Atletico at the top after Los Rojiblancos went one better in a 7-1 thrashing of Granada earlier on Saturday.

And Zidane insists big wins for Atletico, Barcelona and Sevilla that saw Real slip to fourth before kick-off hadn't played an extra motivating factor in their return to form.

"You can have a look and see what is happening, but that is independent of what we have to do," he added. We have the obligation to give everything in every game we play. We are all satisfied, but we must continue like this."

Raphael Varane got Madrid off to the perfect start when he headed home Toni Kroos's free-kick after just four minutes.

"The intensity we started with made everything a lot easier," said Varane. "We spoke a lot in the past few days about improving that aspect of our play."

Karim Benzema slotted home the second before Marcelo added a third.

It was Real's fourth, though, that stole the show as a sweeping team move involving five players stormed from a Betis corner all the way down the other end of the field in seconds before Isco tapped into an empty net.