Real Madrid were handed their first loss of the season on Monday. But there are plenty of matches still to be played and the championship is as open as it was prior to the visit to the Camp Nou.
Monday's Clasico started at a frantic pace. Barcelona controlled the ball early and made it clear they were playing on their home turf. Only nine minutes in, Xavi scored the opener following a combination with Iniesta. Madrid responded immediately and Di Maria put Valdes to the test. Cristiano Ronaldo had a go shortly thereafter but was stymied by Abidal.
Just when it appeared Madrid were hitting their stride, Barcelona struck again by way of Pedro, who fired home following a cross by Villa. The Whites continued looking to cut into the lead, and on 38’ Cristiano was fouled inside the box by Valdes as the two battled for a ball, but the referee failed to award the spot kick.
Ozil was replaced by Lass at the restart as Mourinho hoped for more possession of the ball, but ten minutes in Villa made it 3-0 in a clear offside position. The goal sank Madrid, who three minutes later conceded another to Villa.
The Whites continued to play hard with the match all but in the books, but everything went Barcelona’s way. The hosts managed a fifth and final goal in injury time, but things didn't end there. Sergio Ramos was sent off after a tackle on Messi and a confrontation between players from both sides ensued.
All Real Madrid can do is turn their sights towards next Saturday’s match against Valencia. There is no sense in lamenting the painful defeat. Of 20 official matches played, it is the first loss suffered by Mourinho and company. If there is any team capable of picking itself up it is this Real Madrid.
Cristiano Ronaldo stole the show with a four-goal haul as Real Madrid walloped Racing Santander 6-1 at home to restore their one-point La Liga lead.
The winger struck twice in each half, with his fourth goal coming from a 55th-minute penalty, with Gonzalo Higuain and Mesut Ozil also netting.
"I am really happy because I have never scored four goals," said Ronaldo.
Earlier, a Lionel Messi brace helped Barcelona beat Real Zaragoza 2-0 as they temporarily assumed top spot.
Messi's double, however, was eclipsed at the Bernabeu at the end of a week when Manchester United's Wayne Rooney had been linked with a January transfer window reunion with Portuguese winger Ronaldo.
Rooney, of course, ultimately signed a new five-year contract but there is little doubt that Ronaldo is finally returning to the form that earned him the Fifa World Player of the Year award when playing alongside the England striker at Old Trafford in 2008.
Saturday's goals take Ronaldo's season tally to nine in the league, and 10 in all competitions after he scored in the 2-0 Champions League defeat of AC Milan on Tuesday.
Real's resounding victory, which follows 6-1 and 4-1 wins over Deportivo La Coruna and Malaga, means Jose Mourinho's side remain unbeaten in the league and have garnered a maximum 12 points from four home matches.
"Some of my team-mates were better than me but like the coach [Mourinho] says there is no reason to be euphoric," added Ronaldo, who has scored eight goals in his last three games.
"There is a long way to go in the league although being top is important."
After putting the home side in front in the 10th minute, Argentine striker Higuain turned provider five minutes later, crossing low as Ronaldo made no mistake with a simple tap-in.
Despite appearing to be offside, Ronaldo struck from close-range in the 26th minute, and he hit his hat-trick two minutes after the restart after latching on to an Angel Di Maria pass.
And when Argentine midfielder Di Maria was adjudged to have been fouled in the area in the 55th minute, Ronaldo obliged by despatching the spot-kick for his fourth.
German international Ozil completed the Real's scoring before Papakouli Diop netted a deflected consolation for the hapless visitors, who are down to 16th in the table.
Cris did admit that he always wanted to be a professional table tennis player, before he decided to chose football for his career....Good choice though..
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Delighted with the victory and his hat-trick, Ronaldo shared his thoughts on the match with the media.
“We are anxious to be champions. We know Barcelona are in great form, but I’m convinced we’ll win.”
“I am very happy with my hat-trick, but merit also belongs to my team-mates, who have helped me immensely during my first year adapting to the team. The important thing is to be able to help the team.”
“It was hard for us to get into the game, but we were a true Real Madrid side tonight nonetheless. Our four goals gave us three points that keep the fight alive. The team played very well.”
“We have to keep hoping Barcelona will lose at some point, but we must play our next game at home and wait. We aren’t champions yet, but I’m excited about it already.”
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The €94 million man had scathing comments for everyone on the pitch in last night's narrow win over Osasuna, including himself...
In post-match comments reported by Marca, Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo labelled his team's performance in last night's narrow win over Osasuna as "very bad".
Despite winning the match, scoring two goals including the winner, Ronaldo was very critical of his team. "In my opinion, the entire team was very bad. I speak of the forwards, midfielders and the back line. We cannot permit Osasuna to score goals and cause us so much trouble. We have to understand that we are fighting for La Liga and we need to be more focused. This cannot happen again because on another occasion we will not be able to come back. We have the hope that we can succeed.
"If you give up points at this stage in the season, you lose the title. Thank God we were able to score the third goal and win the match. We have to keep winning. Barcelona have a great team, but great teams also lose. We have to think it possible for them to give up points and we have to win. The best thing that came from last night's match was the three points."
Cristiano Ronaldo is satisfied with the way he has played since joining Real Madrid last summer.
Expectations could hardly have been higher after the Portugal international moved from Manchester United for a world record-breaking transfer fee of £80million.
Real might finish the season without a major trophy after making a surprise early exit from the UEFA Champions League, while they also trail Barcelona by one point in the Primera Liga with four games to play.
But Ronaldo has reflected with pride on his own personal performances over the course of the campaign, despite spending a period on the sidelines with an ankle injury.
“I am very happy with my season at Real Madrid,” he told the Portuguese press.
“If I had not suffered the injury with a two-month gap this could have been my best year as a professional.
“In a league like Spain it is not easy to start with 20 goals and seven assists.
“After the injury against Marseille I missed 12 matches but with confidence and hard work I have returned to a good level.”
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I'm not Ronaldo. I am Cristiano Ronaldo. I like my name. I like wearing shirts written Ronaldo on my back.... 17cr
" I'ma goodsingleton...I'm happywith that.At this moment,Marriage...is NOTon the agenda."- CR -
....According to the newspapers,I have 20 girlfriends...But I have onlymet two or threeof them....- CR -
.....When I left Madeira for Lisbon
l was only 11, was very difficult.
I used to cry everyday,
I will never forget it. I learn how to survie by myself......
"...I was very easy to please.At Christmas and on my birthday,I always wantedto have a football.In those dayswe didn't havethe moneyget nice presents,but if I was given a ball"I was happy.....- CR -
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