Rampant Ronaldo puts Real on brink
MADRID — Real Madrid moved to within a point of winning La Liga as Cristiano Ronaldo struck twice to beat Celta Vigo 4-1 on Wednesday.
The European champion leads Barcelona by three points at the top of the standings and now needs to just avoid defeat at Malaga on Sunday to secure its first league title in five years.
“We will go there to win the game,” insisted Ronaldo. “We are Real Madrid, we are the best and we want to be champions.”
Once again Ronaldo made the difference as he took his tally to 13 goals in his past eight games with early strikes in each half.
Iago Aspas was then controversially sent off when he saw a second yellow card for diving, but Celta halved the arrears through John Guidetti’s deflected effort.
Karim Benzema and Toni Kroos struck late to keep Madrid on course for a domestic league and Champions League double.
“We played with incredible attitude and personality,” said Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane.
Ronaldo was starting his first away league game in nearly two months as, in contrast to recent weeks, Zidane didn’t rotate his starting XI.
The Frenchman went with the same side that withstood an Atletico Madrid revival to book its place in the Champions League final a week ago.
He was rewarded early when Marcelo and Isco combined before Ronaldo smashed a loose ball high into the net.
“He has managed things very well,” Ronaldo said of Zidane.
“I feel good. Everything is decided in the final weeks of the season and I am doing well. I am scoring goals and helping the team.”
Celta has lost eight of its past nine league games, having concentrated on its run to the Europa League semifinals that was ended by Manchester United last week.
However, it eliminated Madrid from the Copa del Rey earlier this season and put the European champion to the test once more.
Daniel Wass stung the palms of Keylor Navas with a fiercely struck freekick before Aspas fired narrowly wide twice in quick succession.
Celta also had a penalty appeal waved away before the break when Real defender Raphael Varane handled in the area.
“We scored early and then had 20 difficult minutes,” said Zidane.
“In the second half we controlled the game more because the first half it was end-to-end, which isn’t our game.”
Having soaked up that pressure, a deadly Real counter attack doubled its advantage just three minutes into the second period.
Spanish playmaker Isco was again the provider as he surged through the midfield before snaking a pass to Ronaldo, who scored when his shot hit the netting after rebounding off the post.
More controversy ensued moments later when referee Juan Martinez Mun era showed Aspas a second yellow card for diving when the former Liverpool winger appeared to have been tripped by Sergio Ramos inside the area.