Manuel Pellegrini selected seven of the club's eight summer arrivals in his starting XI, including superstars Ronaldo, Kaka and Karim Benzema, but it was one of their existing and less heralded players, Lassana Diarra, who earned Madrid the spoils.

Diarra fired home a low 25-yard shot on the hour mark to secure victory for Madrid after battling Depor had twice drawn level to cancel out goals by Raul and Ronaldo, the visitors scoring through Riki and Juan Carlos Valeron.

In tonight's other match in the Spanish top flight, Javier Arizmendi's 74th-minute goal saw Real Zaragoza beat Tenerife 1-0 in a battle between two promoted sides.