Real Madrid prevailed in an entertaining derby with Atletico to edge closer to the Copa del Rey semi-finals.
Elsewhere, Almeria held their nerve on home soil to claim a first leg advantage in their last eight showdown with Deportivo La Coruna.
The tie of the night came at Santiago Bernabeu, where arch-rivals Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid locked swords.
A keenly-contested derby was played at breathtaking pace from the off, with both sides piling forward at every opportunity.
It took just seven minutes for the deadlock to be broken, with Sergio Aguero beating the offside trap to break clear on goal.
He was sent tumbling by Iker Casillas, but the loose ball broke for Diego Forlan to roll into an empty net.
Real responded in style to falling behind and restored parity on 14 minutes when Sergio Ramos rose highest to meet an Angel Di Maria corner and power a header past David de Gea.
Somehow the scoreline remained one apiece until the interval, with both sides going close on numerous occasions.
Forlan thought he had restored Atletico's lead on 59 minutes, but saw a low drive cannon back off the post.
Two minutes later Real did go in front, with Mesut Ozil teasing the visiting defence before floating over a clever pass for Cristiano Ronaldo (277.50 points FTBL reiting) to slide home at the back post.
German playmaker Ozil added a third for the hosts in the final minute, taking full advantage of an unfortunate ricochet off Filipe Luis to stroke the ball into the bottom corner.
Jose Mourinho's men now hold the upper hand heading into the return leg next Thursday, but there is still all to play for at Vicente Calderon.
Unfortunate
The second of Thursday's quarter-final clashes is also evenly poised, with Almeria having claimed a narrow 1-0 lead over Deportivo La Coruna.
In front of a virtually empty stadium at Estadio del Mediteranneo, the only goal of the game arrived after 35 minutes.
Juanma Ortiz cut his way inside from the left and saw his square ball across the six-yard box inadvertently turned into his own net by Knut Olav Rindaroy.
Depor almost snatched a leveller shortly before the hour mark, but Lassa Nouioui's low effort crashed off the foot of the post.
Jonathan stepped off the bench to send a stinging volley goalwards on 69minutes, but a brilliant stop from Manuel Fernandez Muniz denied him and ensured Depor remain within touching distance ahead of the second leg.
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