When newly-promoted Numancia made the trip to Real Madrid six years ago today, the pre-match feeling was that it would almost be a day out for a group of players, many of whom had never previously played at the Bernabeu.
However, what unfolded over the 90 minutes won the Rojillos many plaudits, although it would be the home side that were celebrating come the final whistle, having passed a landmark in the process.
The home support was stunned into silence in just the sixth minute when Juan Carlos Moreno ghosted in unmarked at the back post to send a downward header into the far corner, with Iker Casillas rooted.
Their lead would only last for 13 minutes, though, as Madrid scored what was their 5,000th La Liga goal. It was by no means a classic, with midfielder Guti seeing his deflected effort from distance beat a helpless Juan Pablo in the visiting goal.
Yet, Numancia refused to lie down and in the 22nd minute, they regained the advantage in style. Having inherited possession 25 yards from goal, Jose Barkero chanced his arm with a rising strike that flew into the top corner.
In what was becoming a fixture that more resembled a basketball game, Madrid equalised with their very next attack. So often a scorer of goals, Ruud van Nistelrooy turned provider for Gonzalo Higuian, who lifted his shot over an outrushing Pablo.
It was a goal that sparked domination from Real as they scored two more times before the break. Rafael van der Vaart, on debut, made it 3-2 when he fired in from a narrow angle, before Moreno headed into his own net from a Guti corner.
Moreno somewhat made amends in the 56th minute when he scored in the right net for the second time with a curling free-kick which Casillas could not keep out, but it failed to inspire a comeback. Nonetheless, the away side had come closer to an upset than anybody other than Real boss Bernd Schuster could have expected.
Speaking after the match, Schuster told reporters: "It was to be expected. These games after international weeks are always the hardest. When we were 4-2 up we didn't manage the game very well. We deserved to win by more but eased off too much in the second half."
REAL MADRID: Casillas; Salgado, Pepe, Metzelder, Marcelo; Diarra, Guti; Van der Vaart (La Red), Higuain (Drenthe), Robben; Van Nistelrooy (Raul)
NUMANCIA: Pablo; Cisma, Boris, Palacios, Juanra; Barkero (Anton), Nagore; Bellvis (Quero), Moreno, Mario (Pino); Brit
Liam Apicella
