It’s relief for Zidane as ton-up Ron is on spot
CRISTIANO RONALDO struck twice from the spot as Real Madrid thrashed Valencia to ease the pressure on Zinedine Zidane.
The Madrid manager’s position has come under scrutiny but his side rose to the occasion at the Mestalla.
Ronaldo put the visitors two goals to the good and after Santi Mina’s second-half header gave Valencia hope, late strikes from Marcelo and Toni Kroos sealed the win.
The victory moves Real to within two points of Valencia in third and reduces the gap behind league leaders Barcelona to 16.
Zidane will hope the result sparks a timely revival ahead of next month’s meeting with Paris St-Germain in the Champions League.
He said: “Seeing them play like that makes me very happy. Valencia are doing fantastic things in the league and this wasn’t easy.
“It’s a very important result, we played very well and I’m very happy.
“We’re going to keep fighting because there’s a lot left to play for.”
New signing Francis Coquelin started in central defence for Valencia, while Mina and Rodrigo both returned to the side.
Gareth Bale had the first sight of goal following a mix-up between Neto and Ezequiel Garay but he volleyed at the keeper.
Rodrigo then fired a shot over before Martin Montoya made the first of his two errors by chopping down Ronaldo in the box.
The forward, 32, slotted home from the spot to convert the 100th penalty of his career – and notch Real’s first away goal in the league since October.
Geoffrey Kondogbia’s long-range drive troubled Keylor Navas but the home side were again undone when Montoya bundled Karim Benzema to the floor.
Ronaldo this time switched corner but the end result was the same.
Valencia were thrown a lifeline 13 minutes into the second half as Mina nipped in behind Nacho to head home from a corner.
The goal prompted a period of pressure for the hosts, who could have pulled level a number of times.
But they failed to capitalise and were punished twice late on.
First, Marco Asensio laid on Marcelo to crash home a third before Kroos beat Neto from distance in the final minute.