Spanish La Liga
Real MadridReal Madrid5Ath BilbaoAthletic Bilbao0

Real Madrid 5-0 Athletic Bilbao

By Sam SheringhamBBC Sport
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo's hat-trick inspired Real to a win that took them up to fourth with 15 points from seven games

Cristiano Ronaldo's record-equalling 22nd La Liga hat-trick helped Real Madrid crush Athletic Bilbao and close to within four points of Barcelona.

Ronaldo's third treble in four league games drew him level with the tallies of Real legend Alfredo Di Stefano and ex-Athletic striker Telmo Zarra.

Headers from Ronaldo and Karim Benzema put Real 2-0 up at half-time.

Ronaldo tapped in his second and set up Benzema for Real's fourth before deflecting Pepe's shot into the corner.

The ball appeared to come off Ronaldo's arm but the referee awarded the goal to complete an emphatic win.

It was the World Player of the Year's 13th goal in six league games and his 17th of the season in all competitions.

Most La Liga hat-tricks
PlayerHat-tricks
Cristiano Ronaldo22
Alfredo Di Stefano22
Telmo Zarra22
Edmundo Suarez19
Lionel Messi19

Ronaldo's extraordinary goalscoring form has been central to Real Madrid's recovery from two defeats in their first three league games.

Since a 2-1 home reverse by city rivals Atletico Madrid on 13 September, Real have won six games in a row and scored 27 goals in the process.

They now sit fourth in the league table, one point above Atletico and four behind leaders Barca.

Their latest procession began as early as the second minute when Gareth Bale pinged a cross from the right to the far post and Ronaldo headed past Gorka Iraizoz from close range.

Athletic, who have now secured only one point in their last five league games and are 18th in the table, looked a shadow of the side that finished fourth last season as they wilted under relentless Real pressure.

With half-time approaching, Luka Modric floated a corner to the edge of the six-yard box where Benzema rose highest to double the home side's lead.

Slick interplay between Benzema and Bale teed up Ronaldo to slot in the third before the Portuguese raced on to Modric's incisive pass and squared for Benzema to tap in.

Ronaldo missed several chances to complete his hat-trick, only to get there in the 88th minute via a stroke of luck.

Pepe's scuffed effort struck Ronaldo's arm and flew past Iraizoz to round off another glorious night for the Real number seven, but a chastening one for the Basques.

Cristiano Ronaldo
Ronaldo has scored hat-tricks against Elche, Deportivo and Athletic Bilbao this season
Karim Benzema (right)
Karim Benzema has scored eight goals in 16 matches for club and country this season

Line-ups

Real Madrid

Formation 4-3-3

  • 1Casillas
  • 15Carvajal
  • 3Pepe
  • 4RamosBooked at 28minsSubstituted forVaraneat 45'minutes
  • 12Marcelo
  • 19Modric
  • 8KroosSubstituted forIllarramendiat 74'minutes
  • 10Rodríguez
  • 11Bale
  • 9BenzemaSubstituted forIscoat 79'minutes
  • 7Cristiano Ronaldo

Substitutes

  • 2Varane
  • 13Navas
  • 14Hernández
  • 17Arbeloa
  • 18Nacho
  • 23Isco
  • 24Illarramendi

Ath Bilbao

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 1Iraizoz
  • 10De MarcosBooked at 25mins
  • 18Gurpegi
  • 4Laporte
  • 24BalenziagaBooked at 34mins
  • 8Iturraspe
  • 17Rico Moreno
  • 14SusaetaSubstituted forLópez Cabreraat 62'minutes
  • 7Etxebarria UrkiagaSubstituted forGómezat 45'minutes
  • 19MuniainSubstituted forEtxeitaat 74'minutes
  • 22Fernández Hierro

Substitutes

  • 6San José
  • 11Gómez
  • 13Herrerín Buisán
  • 15Iraola
  • 16Etxeita
  • 21Viguera
  • 29López Cabrera
Referee:
Alejandro José Hernández Hernández
Attendance:
77,987

Match Stats

Home TeamReal MadridAway TeamAth Bilbao
Possession
Home60%
Away40%
Shots
Home19
Away6
Shots on Target
Home14
Away5
Corners
Home8
Away7
Fouls
Home9
Away10

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Real Madrid 5, Athletic Club 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Real Madrid 5, Athletic Club 0.

  3. Post update

    Marcelo (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  4. Post update

    Foul by Ander Iturraspe (Athletic Club).

  5. Goal!

    Goal! Real Madrid 5, Athletic Club 0. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) with an attempt from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Pepe following a corner.

  6. Post update

    Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Óscar De Marcos.

  7. Post update

    Attempt saved. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) right footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the left is saved in the centre of the goal.

  8. Post update

    Gareth Bale (Real Madrid) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  9. Post update

    Foul by Óscar De Marcos (Athletic Club).

  10. Post update

    Attempt saved. Gareth Bale (Real Madrid) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Marcelo with a cross.

  11. Post update

    Attempt missed. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Gareth Bale.

  12. Post update

    Attempt saved. Gareth Bale (Real Madrid) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Daniel Carvajal.

  13. Substitution

    Substitution, Real Madrid. Isco replaces Karim Benzema.

  14. Post update

    Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  15. Post update

    Foul by Xabier Etxeita (Athletic Club).

  16. Post update

    Attempt saved. Guillermo (Athletic Club) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the centre of the goal.

  17. Post update

    Corner, Athletic Club. Conceded by Pepe.

  18. Post update

    Attempt saved. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Daniel Carvajal with a cross.

  19. Post update

    Foul by Asier Illarramendi (Real Madrid).

  20. Post update

    Óscar De Marcos (Athletic Club) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Scores, Results & Fixtures

Sunday 5th October 2014