Messi scores fifth hat-trick of the season

AFP

MADRID CRISTIANO Ronaldo scored two penalties as Real Madrid restored its five-point La Liga advantage with a 4-1 victory over Athletic Bilbao on Sunday just as the club reeled from allegations of a player revolt.

Ronaldo took his season’s league tally to 23, hours after Lionel Messi had hit a hattrick in Barcelona’s 4-1 triumph at Malaga.

That put the Argentine star on 22 for the season as the champions temporarily cut the gap on its bitter rivals at the top to just two points.

On the day that Marca sports daily had claimed coach Jose Mourinho had accused some Real stars of betraying him in the aftermath of the midweek King’s Cup defeat to Barca, things got worse for his side.

Fernando Llorente gave Athletic a shock lead after 12 minutes following an inch perfect pass from Javi Martinez and in an evenlycontested first half Oscar De Marcos was denied the visitors’ second after keeper Iker Casillas blocked well.

But Real drew level with a well-worked team move which was finished by Marcelo.

Immediately after the restart Kaka was pulled back in the box by Ander Iturraspe and Ronaldo scored from the spot. As Real continued to push forward it won a second penalty after 65 minutes when Mesut Ozil was felled by De Marcos, who received a red card, and Ronaldo converted from 12 yards.

Substitute Gonzalo Higuain then hit the post from a tight angle for a rampant Real before Jose Callejon, who also came off the bench, scored the fourth with five minutes to go.

After the Marca allegations, Mourinho held a meeting before Sunday’s match in an attempt to diffuse tensions which are believed to be the result of frustration with the coach’s tactics and team selection.

Earlier, Messi scored his 14th Barcelona hat-trick, and fifth of the season, as the champions cruised to a 4-1 win at Malaga.

Messi found the target in the 33rd, 50th and 80th minutes.

This was only Barca’s fourth league victory on its travels and Messi’s goals also brought to an end a poor personal run as of his 19 goals going into the game only one had come away from home.

Valencia continue to struggle as it could only draw 1-1 in a scrappy game against Osasuna.

Mallorca eased their relegation fears with a second half Ivan Ramis header giving them a 1-0 win away to Rayo Vallecano while bottom side Zaragoza earned a point in a 0-0 draw away to Levante