Real Madrid sent a warning to Barcelona just two weeks ahead of El Clasico by storming back into form as Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in a 5-0 thrashing of Sevilla on Saturday.

Sevilla had started the afternoon on the same number of points as Madrid in joint fourth, but the sides looked worlds apart as Real scored all five goals before half-time to close to within five points of Barca at the top of the table.

Here, we look at three things learned from the thrashing.

ASENSIO IN THE FRAME FOR EL CLASICO?

What is Real Madrid’s best starting eleven? For much of 2017 the answer to that question has appeared to be self-evident, with the midfield trio of Casemiro, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos backing up Isco, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo, assuming Gareth Bale has to be discounted with his endless injury problems.

Now, though, Zinedine Zidane may have to rethink that formula because Marco Asensio’s performance in the cakewalk against Sevilla on Saturday suggested he is simply too good to continue to be left on the bench.

Playing on the left wing, the young Spanish international was the outstanding creative force on the field, exuding class as he tormented the visiting defence with his smooth dribbling, incisive passing and penetrating movement.

Notably, he drifted inside to deliver a perfect assist for Cristiano Ronaldo’s opener – exactly the kind of thing Karim Benzema should be doing but palpably isn’t.

Asensio’s versatility would allow him to take Benzema’s place alongside Ronaldo in attack, and on current form that is exactly what Zidane should do for the crucial Clasico clash with Barcelona in a fortnight.

Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates with Marco Asensio

MADRID’S FUTURE IN SAFE HANDS

Madrid’s results and performances haven’t always been great this season, but on this evidence the club’s crop of youngsters are continuing to make decent progress and look like good bets to play a much bigger role in the future.

In addition to the outstanding Asensio, who will surely become an established started sooner rather than later, there were good displays from defensive duo Jesus Vallejo and Achraf Hakimi, who were given rare starts due to the absence of Sergio Ramos, Dani Carvajal and Raphael Varane.

They will return to the bench when the established starters return, but Moroccan international Achraf in particular looks mature beyond his years and, if he stays around for long enough, could be an excellent long-term replacement for Carvajal at right-back.

Marcos Llorente also did well from the bench in the centre of midfield, and with seven members of the squad aged 22 or below, there’s the core of a solid team at the Bernabeu for many years to come.

Achraf Hakimi neatly scores his first goal in a Real Madrid shirt

RONALDO BACK TO HIS BEST

Remember those days when Cristiano Ronaldo couldn’t score and some people – fools, the lot of them – were suggesting that he had entered into a permanent decline?

That brief period, even though it was just a couple of weeks away, seems a very long time ago now. Ronaldo has emerged from his early-season ‘slump’ to score six goals in his last five games, including a first-half brace in Saturday’s rout of Sevilla. Not bad for a decline.

In truth, he was slightly fortunate with the second goal from the penalty spot – firstly that he was given the opportunity at all for a harsh handball decision on Jesus Navas, and secondly that visiting keeper Sergio Rico didn’t save a pretty ordinary penalty that was stroked straight at him.

But what goes around comes around, and Ronaldo is perhaps now benefitting from the good fortune in front of goal that he was denied earlier this season, when it seemed the footballing gods were determined to prevent him from netting.

Whatever the reason, Ronaldo is back…and just in time for El Clasico, as well.

Cristiano Ronaldo poses with his five Ballon d’Or trophies