Bale scores 4, Real stick 10 past nine-man Rayo
Ranieri beaming CR7 on target
Watford’s Yugoslavian-born Swiss midfielder Almen Abdi (left), vies with Liverpool’s English midfielder Adam Lallana during the English Premier League football match between Watford and Liverpool at Vicarage Road Stadium in Watford, north of London on Dec 20. (AFP) MADRID, Dec 20, (AFP): Gareth Bale scored four times as Real Madrid came from behind to beat nineman Rayo Vallecano 10-2 in a wild game at the Santiago Bernabeu to close the gap on La Liga leaders Barcelona and Atletico Madrid to two points.
It is the first time in 55 years that a team has scored 10 goals in a La Liga game.
However, the Madrid fans still voiced their disapproval towards under fire coach Rafael Benitez after Real found themselves 2-1 down inside 12 minutes.
Red cards inside half an hour for Tito and Raul Baena opened the floodgates, though, as a double from Cristiano Ronaldo and a hat-trick for Karim Benzema added to Bale’s most prolific day in three years as a Madrid player.
Atletico have the chance to extend their lead at the top back to five points later on Sunday when they visit Malaga.
Barcelona aren’t in La Liga action this weekend as they sealed the Club World Cup with a 3-0 win over River Plate earlier in the day.
Madrid president Florentino Perez had restated his support for Benitez in midweek after rumours suggested he was one defeat away from the sack after losing 1-0 at Villarreal last weekend.
Real had won their previous 14 meetings against their humble rivals from across Madrid and looked well set for Real Madrid’s Christian Bale shoots the ball to the goal next to Rayo Vallecano’s Nacho Martinez (right), during the Spanish La
Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Rayo Vallecano at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Dec 20. (AP)