Real Madrid truly were a sight to behold on Wednesday night.

The European champions gave the Europa League holders Sevilla a damn good spanking.

A 3-0 win in the Copa del Rey first leg at the Bernabéu, a massive comfort blanket for the return leg next Thursday plus a marker for the La Liga meeting between these sides a couple of days later.

It’s true that Sevilla contributed to their own downfall. More than one of Jorge Sampaoli’s players, Steven N’Zonzi included, had their worst game of the season and looked as if the post Christmas turkey and brandies hadn’t been firmly trained away.

They also missed sitters – twice Sevilla went one v one with Madrid’s reserve keeper Kiko Casilla and fluffed their lines.

And while referee Mateu Lahoz gave a vote of solidarity to the Mike Dean Calamity Show by awarding a non-existent penalty for the third goal. Madrid were so superior that Sampaoli and Sevilla’s best player, Vitolo, both took time to admit post match: “The scoreline reflects how much better Madrid were – not the referee’s performance.”

Kudos to both of them for that.

Zidane evidently chose the right time to get back to training after winning the World Club title in Tokyo and giving his players free time to enjoy the festive season.

Los Blancos were like a pack of hungry wolves, not only physically able to dominate a rival but as sharp as razor-blades.

Back in August when Madrid were less match-ready this contest was headed for a Sevilla win during a thrilling European Supercup in Norway until Sergio Ramos took us to 2-2 in the 93rd minute and then an extra-time win for Zidane’s men.

The evidence in front of our eyes the other night is that Zidane had taken that, plus other experiences, and rubbed salt in his players’ wounds to teach them a lesson.

For example, the last time Madrid – featuring most of these players – became world champions it was in December 2014 in the midst of a 22-match winning streak.

They beat San Lorenzo in Tokyo, did the Yuletide thing but on returning to duty were press-ganged into defeat at Valencia.

What happened next was remarkable.

Having won four trophies in 2014, Madrid went from fearsome to freefall.

After the Mestalla defeat the holders were immediately turfed out of the Cup by Atletico, dropped off the league, lost the Clásico and were flaccid in losing the Champions League semi final against Juventus, thus depriving the world of what would have been the first Clásico European Cup final.

Poor old Carlo Ancelotti was sacked as a result. Rafa Benitez didn’t work out and it took until Zidane was appointed last January for things to be put back on course.

I’ll wager that Zidane, over the last few days, has been sticking that message to his troops. Imagine it: “They’re all waiting for you to trip up again, they all laughed at you in 2014 … let’s show them this time!

Fergie tactics, let’s call it.

But, in all honesty, Madrid aren’t quite out of the woods yet.

Traditionally it has been one hell of a burden to qualify for the Club World Cup final in Japan and then return successfully to domestic duty.

What’s history shows is that conscious or subconscious relaxation seems to follow.

In 2006, European champions Liverpool came back from losing the final to São Paolo to drop 13 points at the start of the new year ensuring they couldn’t win the title.

They defended their Champions League limply, thrashed 3-0 by Ronald Koeman’s Benfica.

Next season Barça were Liga leaders when they went to Japan and lost to Internacional.

They returned to be overtaken in the league first by Sevilla then by Madrid, to be beaten by Liverpool in the first Champions League knockout round and to be humiliated 4-0 in the Cup by Getafe.

Ditto Milan in 2008. They beat Boca in Tokyo then come home to league and Coppa capitulation. Fifth in Serie A.

Inter Milan after the 2010 treble? One week after winning the world title against TP Mazembe of Congo, Rafa Benitez is sacked. They lose the title and are thrashed 7-3 by Schalke in Europe.

Pep Guardiola’s second world title? A sublime 4-0 defeat of Santos which his consigliere Manel Estiarte thinks was the best performance of Guardiola’s four years in charge?

Barcelona drop seven points in their first six games of the new year and surrender their title. They also surrender a Champions League semi final lead to 10-man Chelsea – and Guardiola quits, exhausted.

Chelsea, having gone on to win that edition of the Champions League? They sack Roberto Di Matteo before even reaching Tokyo where they lose to Corinthians, drop points in January, lose in the League Cup and draw with Brentford in the FA Cup.

Okay, okay. There are exceptions.

Fergie’s United in 2008/09 were superb. World champions against Quito they go home to win the Premier League and League Cup, reaching the cup semi-final and the Champions League final. What curse?

Ditto Guardiola’s first Barça team.

World Champions against Estudiantes they retain the Spanish title, and reach the Champions League semi-final but blip in January to Sevilla in the Copa del Rey.

The Bayern side of 2013/14 conquer the world, come home and win the Bundesliga but how to explain their 5-0 defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League semi final?

Guardiola, in explaining it away, partly blames the trip to and from Tokyo and the relaxation of having become world champions amidst other factors.

So, for the moment, hats off to Madrid. But the hidden mental and physical tests lie ahead for them and every Club World Cup champion.

Moyes has left behind a great gift for Sociedad

Something wonderful is happening in the Basque country. Or to be precise, something else.

For some years now Athletic Club have added lustre to La Liga. They’ve always been a curio to the rest of the world because of their history, their Basque-only tradition and their wonderful stadium.

But for several seasons Athletic have also been competitive both domestically and in Europe. That all reached a thrilling climax in 2015 when, thanks to a 4-0 thrashing of European champions Barcelona they won their first trophy since we were all 33 years younger.

During some of this time while Los Leones have been roaring and showing claws, Real Sociedad have had to suffer, grimly.

They spent three years in the second division until summer 2010. Including David Moyes, they’ve had six managers in the last seven years and, largely, the San Sebastian club has had to look over their shoulder at relegation threats rather than set their sights on emulating Athletic.

Right now, however, they play a brand of football which is pretty much as attractive as anything you’ll see in Europe.

Invincible they ain’t because it’s now hugely difficult, in wages or prestige terms, to attract elite footballers to the Anoeta.

But not only do La Real sit fifth in the title race right now, it’s only goal-difference which makes Villarreal fourth and, just for good measure, Eusebio’s side gave the Yellow Submarine a good 3-1 depth-charging in the Copa first leg this week.

When they hit their high notes, La Real pass and move and take risks which fit right into the best of Barcelona’s canon.

And, it seems, David Moyes has left behind a great gift. The Txuri-Urdin’s (white-blues) third goal against Villarreal was a giant peach. But it wasn’t scored by James. The kid who got it is called Mikel Oyarzabal, pictured.

He’s not 20 until April and it was Moyes who promoted his raw talent and gave him his debut, aged 18.

Big, Basque and sometimes brilliant this striker symbolises the fact that, at last, something groovy is happening in Spain’s most beautiful city.