Real Madrid launched a dramatic comeback to beat Malaga 3-2 after falling two goals down in the first leg of their Copa Del Rey clash.
The match was also a return to Real for a former manager, Manuel Pellegrini, and the former Manchester United striker, Ruud van Nistlerooy.
Goals from Sami Khedira, Gonzalo Higuain and Karim Benzema turned the last 16 game on its head in 10 second-half minutes to leave things intriguingly poised ahead of next week's return leg in Malaga.
Former Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini had looked like coming back to haunt his old side at the Bernabeu and certainly proved as good as his word that Malaga would do more than just play for a goalless draw.
Sergio Sanchez put the visitors ahead with a header from a corner and, as if to prove it was no fluke, Martin Demichelis repeated the trick to put Malaga two up inside the first half an hour.
Jose Mourinho took drastic action at half time by making all three of his allotted substitutions - introducing Mesut Ozil as well as the subsequent goalscorers Benzema and Khedira.
Relentless pressure from the home side in the second half was inevitable and it was Khedira who eventually found a way through the Malaga defence before Higuain seized on an error to round the keeper and equalise.
Benzema's neat finish completed the turnaround and there was even time for Cristiano Ronaldo to have a spectacular late effort disallowed for offside with the last kick of the game.
"The team didn't start the game as it should have," said Madrid coach Jose Mourinho. "The second half was completely the opposite. The team wanted to clean out the trash it had made in the first half. The attitude, the concentration of the team changed."
Malaga coach Pellegrini, was disappointed at his side's collapse.
"Giving goals away to Madrid on their own pitch makes it very difficult," he said. "The tie is still open, but we deserved more."
Madrid could meet Barcelona in the quarterfinals if both teams win their last 16 ties.
Barcelona play their first leg at home to Osasuna on Wednesday.
