VIDEO: Bale, Benzema star as Madrid defeats Milan 3-1

AC Milan visited the Spanish capital to face Real Madrid in the Bernabeu Trophy on Saturday evening and Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale showed that they are both ready for life after Cristiano Ronaldo in a 3-1 victory.

With the Portuguese forward having signed for Juventus, Julen Lopetegui needs to somehow find a way to make up the 40 goals a season that have been lost.

Much of this attacking burden is likely to fall on the shoulders of the aforementioned duo, with particular pressure on the Welsh international with it now likely he will receive the game-time that he so publicly craved at the end of the 2017/18 season.

It took just two minutes of play for Benzema to open the scoring for Los Blancos in front of a relaxed home crowd. A pinpoint cross to the back post from Dani Carvajal handed the French goal-scorer the chance to head home from just yards out, and he didn't disappoint.

The 2017/18 season started so slowly for the former Lyon forward and he was never able to build his form over the course of the campaign.Those in Madrid will be hoping that this early goal will give Benzema confidence, especially with the UEFA Super Cup taking place in Tallinn on Wednesday.

Both Bale and Benzema caused Milan's defence problems over the course of the match, however only after the hosts were almost immediately pegged back.

One of the Elliot Group's first pieces of business since taking full control of the Rossoneri was the swap deal involving Leonardo Bonucci, Mattia Caldara and the loan of Gonzalo Higuain.

On his return to his former club the Argentine international scored a sumptuous equaliser after just four minutes, hitting a curling strike round three Real Madrid defenders and past Keylor Navas before the ball nestled into the bottom left corner of the net.

In the first-half injury time Bale scored Los Blancos' second goal after the Italian giants failed to adequately clear their lines from a corner kick.

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The ball bounced into the path of the former Tottenham Hotspur forward and he struck it powerfully into the roof of the net past a helpless Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Substitutions disrupted the flow of the match in the second half with both teams making a grand total of 17 changes combined. Whilst the result isn't overly important, Lopetegui will be encouraged by the patterns of attacking play he saw from his team ahead of the first competitive match of the campaign against Atletico Madrid.

It was also the first chance the former Porto coach has been able to work with many of his senior stars, a number of whom made their first appearance of pre-season courtesy of their extended post-World Cup breaks. V

Vinicius Junior was the undoubted star of pre-season and he only made the bench on Saturday, but it's possible the Brazilian will play a part in Estonia on Wednesday.

Borja Mayoral added a third goal in injury time to bring the contest to a close in an encouraging fashion for Real Madrid supporters.