Goals: Higuain 43', Raul 73' pen. - Valdo 29

Real Madrid bounced back from its midweek Champions League exit with a comeback 2-1 win over Espanyol on Saturday, although it was hardly convincing from the stuttering champions.

Espanyol stunned Real by taking a first-half lead through Valdo, but the hosts hit back with goals from Gonzalo Higuain and captain Raul, who scored the winner from the spot after being gifted a penalty when he was brought down in the area by Daniel Jarque.

The win should also allow Real coach Bernd Schuster to breathe a little easier, with the German coming under the spotlight following a run of five defeats in seven matches, culminating in that costly European loss against Roma.

Real now sit eight points clear at the top of La Liga ahead of second-placed Barcelona’s home clash with Villarreal on Sunday.

Real Madrid: Casillas, Torres, Pepe, Heinze, Marrcelo, Higuain (Soldado 75'), Diarra, Guti, Robinho (Drenthe 46'), Baptista (Sneijder 63'), Raul

Espanyol: Kameni, Garcia, Torrejon, Jarque, Zabaleta, Riera, Smiljanic, Hurtado, Valdo (Corominas 69'), Soriano (Tamudo 65'), Luis Garcia