"There are some things you can only see in the Bernabeu, things like the goal of Owen which gave a deserved victory to Real," wrote Elias Israel, editor of Marca, Spain's biggest selling newspaper of any description.

Owen got the winner for his team for the third time in 10 days, following on from his strike for Real in their 1-0 victory over Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League on Tuesday.

He performed a similar feat as the England captain in his country's win by the same scoreline in Azerbaijan the previous week.

"This goal has given me more confidence. I haven't hit my best level yet but that can't be too far away," said Owen, after his first league goal for Real since his summer move from Liverpool.

"I have to give thanks to (Real coach) Mariano Garcia Remon, for having confidence in me," added the usually self-effacing Owen, for whom Marca's new moniker may be a little exaggerated.

Garcia Remon was rewarded for his faith in giving Owen back-to-back starts for the first time this season.

"You have to remember, I've arrived in a strange city, and have to deal with a new language and new team. It's not easy to be on top form straight away," added Owen, admitting that he had suffered a rocky patch during his first two months in the Spanish capital since his August arrival.

"This is what we have been waiting for, he's saved us in the last two games. But you have to look at the work he has been doing off the ball, not just the goals," commented Garcia Remon, paying tribute to the new Bernabeu hero, who was cheered to the rafters as he left the pitch after 58 minutes.

If Owen's star is rising, then that of his Brazilian frontline partner Ronaldo appears to be on the wane, after just one goal this season.

The three-time world-player-of-the-year was well below-par once again on Saturday and visibly annoyed when Garcia Remon substituted him 10 minutes before the whistle.

"We talked in the dressing room after the game. It's normal that he's angry, and I accept that. But he was tired because he was putting in a lot of work," added Garcia Remon, excusing his petulant World Cup winner.

Garcia Remon may be considering what last season would have been unthinkable, when Ronaldo was the Spanish first division's leading scorer with 24 goals, and could leave him on the bench for next week's Madrid derby against newly-promoted Getafe.