Real Madrid lead fellow European giants Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 at the interval of their mid-season friendly in Doha courtesy of a Jese Rodriguez goal.
Both teams are currently on winter breaks, but are taking the opportunity to keep up match fitness levels with an exhibition match in the Qatari capital.
Asier Illarramendi's precise through-pass found the intelligent run of Jese in the 19th minute, and the young Spanish forward took one touch before sliding the ball into the bottom corner from inside the area.
There were chances aplenty for both sides before and after the deadlock was broken, with Edinson Cavani squandering PSG's clearest sight of goal by firing at the legs of Diego Lopez after Blaise Matuidi's cushioned across goal.
Matuidi himself had come close with a curling effort from a tight angle which finished just wide of the post, while Cavani was also narrowly off target with a volley from Zlatan Ibrahimovic's chipped ball over the top.
Ballon d'Or favourite Cristiano Ronaldo was in action for Real and he provided Jese with a chance to double his tally and increase their half-time advantage, but the 20-year-old's shot cannoned back off the woodwork.