Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick as Real Madrid thrashed Sevilla 6-2 at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium to reclaim top spot in La Liga.<\/p>\n
Jose Callejon, Angel Di Maria and Hamit Altintop contributed the other goals, while Jesus Navas and Alvaro Negredo scored the consolation goals for Sevilla.<\/p>\n
Sevilla goalkeeper Javi Varas pulled off a double-save in the 9th minute, getting down to block a shot from Karim Benzema with his legs, and then recovering to keep out Angel Di Maria\u2019s attempt from the rebound.<\/p>\n
The visitors didn\u2019t have to wait long for the opening goal as it arrived a minute later when Di Maria played the perfect pass through the Sevilla defence to put Ronaldo through, and the winger didn\u2019t disappoint as he side footed the ball past Varas.<\/p>\n
Sevilla should have equalized two minutes later when Jesus Navas delivered a low cross to find Manu del Moral unmarked at the far post; the lanky striker\u2019s first time shot lacked pace which allowed Iker Casillas time to palm it towards the upright.<\/p>\n
The Real Madrid captain made another brilliant save in the 17th minute, getting down to push away a low swerving shot from Piotr Trochowski with his right hand.<\/p>\n
Despite putting pressure on Jose Mourinho\u2019s men, Sevilla found themselves two goals down in the 37th minute when Di Maria played a brilliant pass over the defence with Jose Callejon getting the faintest of touches to push it past the goalkeeper.<\/p>\n
Ronaldo completed his brace four minutes later when he found himself with too much space just outside the box after receiving a pass from Benzema; the Portuguese responded by firing a rocket towards the top right corner.<\/p>\n
Real Madrid went into the break with three goals to the good but with one man less after Pepe received his marching orders in the final minute of the first half for a second bookable offence.<\/p>\n
Angel di Maria turned from provider to scorer in the 66th minute when he latched onto a pass from Benzema to find himself one-on-one with Varas; the Argentine calmly slotted the ball into the net with the outside of his boot.<\/p>\n
Jesus Navas, who had a great game for Sevilla on the right wing, pulled one back for the home side three minutes later with a low shot that was driven across Casillas to the far post.<\/p>\n
Sevilla\u2019s hopes of staging an unlikely comeback were dented in the 74th minute when striker Manu del Moral was shown a straight red card for what looked like a late trip on Alvaro Arbeloa.<\/p>\n
Real Madrid added their fifth goal of the night five minutes from time from the penalty spot when Karim Benzema was brought down by Federico Fazio; Cristiano Ronaldo squaeezed the ball under the diving Varas to complete his hat-trick.<\/p>\n
Substitute Hamit Altintop was on the field for three minutes before he benefitted from a napping Sevilla defence when he connected with a low cross from Xabi Alonso to tap in Madrid\u2019s sixth goal of the match in the 90th minute.<\/p>\n
Former Real Madrid player Alvaro Negredo got one against his old side two minutes into added time when he beat Sergio Ramos and rounded Casillas before finishing from a tight angle, but it was all too little and too late for the home side as they suffered another heavy defeat against the Whites.<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick as Real Madrid thrashed Sevilla 6-2 at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium to reclaim top spot in La Liga. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15944","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n