Real Madrid thrashed Rayo Vallecano at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday evening. The win moved them up to two points off the leaders Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. With Barcelona's match postponed due to their participation in their victorious Club World Cup campaign, the Liga table will seem skewed but all that Rafa Benitez will look at are three crucial points after an early scare when Vallecano had taken the lead.
First Half: Two Rayo Vallecano players sent off
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It was Los Blancos who kicked things off when Danilo scored as early as the third minute. The Brazilian full-back was released by Gareth Bale on a fast break and his right-footed shot beat goalkeeper Yoel Rodriguez Oterino.
However, Vallecano then scored two quick-fire goals in less than two minutes to elicit boos from the home crowd. Antonio Amaya first equalised in the 10th minute from a corner kick sent in by Roberto Trashorras before Jozabed Ruiz scored with another header from a cross sent in from Tito in the 12th minute.
But Vallecano’s joy was short-lived as the referee brandished a red card for Tito after Toni Kroos was brought down with a rash tackle. The German midfielder was in obvious pain and needed treatment as the match was held up for almost two minutes. Roberto Trashorras and Raul Baena also went into the referee’s book within the next six minutes – both for fouls on Kroos again.
Gareth Bale then equalised for Real Madrid with a header as Danilo crossed it into the centre of the box in the 25th minute. Vallecano then fell into deeper trouble when Baena was sent off for a foul in the box on Sergio Ramos. Down to nine men, Cristiano Ronaldo stepped up to slot the penalty home into the bottom left corner to restore the home side’s lead.
Bale then got his second when James Rodriguez found the Welshman with a through ball to make it 4-2 to Real before half-time.
Second Half: Real Madrid run riot
The second half was nothing but a goal fest as Real Madrid attempted to rewrite La Liga history. Karim Benzema scored the fifth from the centre of the penalty area just three minutes into the second half thanks to another assist from James Rodriguez. Ronaldo then got his second of the game in the 53rd minute when he headed home a corner – again delivered by James Rodriguez – to make it 6-2.
The score soon read 7-2 in the 61st minute as Bale completed his hat-trick on a counter-attack. Making a run down the centre, he was assisted by Ronaldo whose pass was converted by Bale with his left foot. Nine minutes later, it was Bale again as he grabbed his fourth goal of the night, this time with his right foot – a perfect hat-trick for the Welshman now complete (goals with his left foot, right foot and head).
Real Madrid continued to pile on the misery for Vallecano as Benzema found the bottom left corner with a right-footed shot, this time Luka Modric grabbing an assist with a through ball after a corner kick.
With the score reading 9-2, they were looking to make it 10 – something which had not been achieved in La Liga since 1960. And Real Madrid finally got the landmark goal in the 90th minute when Benzema also completed his hat-trick, this time with his left foot as Mateo Kovacic found him in the box to complete the rout.
