Real Madrid 7-1 Celta Vigo: Cristiano Ronaldo steals the show with four second-half goals as Gareth Bale returns to notch during rout

  • Cristiano Ronaldo was the man of the moment yet again as he notched four goals for Real Madrid  
  • The Portuguese superstar scored his first with a brilliant strike when he fired in from 25-yards
  • Ronaldo then added a wonderful free-kick into the top corner of the net for his second goal of the afternoon
  • The 31-year-old completed his trio of strikes when he tapped in from six-yards after being assisted by Isco
  • He then powered in a header to make it an astonishing four goals as the rain began to fall at the Bernabeu
  • Jese hit a low effort to make it six before the returning Gareth Bale got in on the act firing in from edge of the box   
  • Former Liverpool flop Iago Aspas scored a consolation for the visitors when he delicately chipped Keylor Navas  
It would not be a Ronaldo goal without the forward's trademark celebration as he waits for his team-mates to join him
  • Pepe had headed the opening goal for Zinedine Zidane's men after a fairly even first-half from both sides 
He then scored a second with a perfectly executed free-kick, taking him to 250 league goals. Only Athletic Bilbao striker Telmo Zarra – who scored 251 goals in the forties and fifties – and Leo Messi – who currently has 304 to his name – had scored more.
But it wasn’t long before he had levelled with, and passed, Zarra too. First he converted Isco’s cross from close range. Then he powered a header home from a Jese cross to take his overally tally to 252. He has also smashed the 250-barrier in fewer games than any other player.
It took Messi 289 games and Zarra 269. Ronaldo had done it in just 228. His hat-trick was his 16th and it had also taken him back in front of Messi – who has 15 – as the player with the most La Liga history.
It was also the sixth time, in his Real Madrid career he had scored four goals in one league game and it took his personal tally against Celta Vigo to 17 goals in 10 games.
In among all the other records broken it was easy to forget that he was also back in front of Luis Suarez with 27 goals in the league this season. The mind boggles at the football intelligence of those Real Madrid supporters, who had whistled him before the goals started flying in.
Bale added the seventh goal with 10 minutes left and under pressure coach Zinedine Zidane wore the broadest of smiles on 90 minutes – with his two forwards now both fit and firing on all cylinders the season may yet be saved. Roma arrive on Monday – on this form Real Madrid will not be giving up their 2-0 Champions League last-16 lead easily.
The party feeling, provoked by the festival of second half goals, contrasted with the spiky atmosphere of the first half.