Real, Barca still neck and neck
Level on 78 points with Madrid having a game in hand
Real Madrid thrashed Deportivo La Coruna 6- 2 to stay level with Barcelona at the top of La Liga on Wednesday after the Catalans crushed Osasuna 7- 1, condemning the minnows to relegation.
Lionel Messi, Andre Gomes and Paco Alcacer scored twice each and Javier Mascherano netted his first goal for the club from the penalty spot as Barcelona built on Sunday’s Clasico victory.
Real, though, showed they would not be easily toppled.
Zinedine Zidane made nine changes for the trip to the Riazor but Real’s reserves still made light work of Depor, with Isco running the show and finding the net along with James Rodriguez, who hit a brace, Alvaro Morata, Lucas Vazquez and substitute Casemiro.
Real have 78 points from 33 games, while Barcelona have the same tally from one game more.
Messi opened the scoring with a mazy dribble capped with a neat chip over goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu before Gomes volleyed home Ivan Rakitic’s cross to double the lead. Roberto Torres whipped in a free kick just after halftime to drag his team back into the match before Barcelona ran riot with a flurry of goals.
“The way we played, we deserved to win by a large margin,” said Barcelona coach Luis Enrique.
Real deserved much the same against Depor after dominating from the start.
It took Alvaro Morata just 52 seconds to find the net after being played in by Isco with James Rodriguez slamming home the second from a Lucas Vazquez cross.
Florin Andone scored from close range, stabbing home Gael Kakuta’s cross- shot in the 35th minute, to give his side a glimmer of hope but nine minutes later Vazquez scored Real’s third.
Rodriguez and Isco struck before Joselu’s header gave Depor fans some late cheer but Casemiro had the last word and restored Real’s four- goal lead in the 87th minute.