Monday 18 April 2016 12:58, UK
Real Madrid continued to apply pressure on Barcelona at the top of La Liga with a convincing 5-1 win away to struggling Getafe on Saturday afternoon.
Karim Benzema and Isco netted first-half goals before Gareth Bale, James Rodriguez and Cristiano Ronaldo completed the rout in the second period.
Going into the match, Real Madrid sat just four points behind league leaders Barcelona and one behind Atletico Madrid, knowing a win would have taken them within a point of the top.
Zinedine Zidane's in-form side were facing bottom of the table Getafe who installed a new manager on Monday, and the gulf between the two sides was immediately clear.
Real started well, and the opening goal was always a matter of when and not if. Two pieces of last-ditch defending within the space of two minutes stopped Benzema and Ronaldo from netting, before the latter rattled the base of the post in the next attack.
It's been all change off the pitch for Getafe this week, but it was the same old story on it. After 10 defeats and two draws in their last 12, their disappointing season continued with Real Madrid's first goal just before the half-hour mark.
Rodriguez whipped in an inch-perfect ball from the right, over the top of the defence. Damian and substitute Yoda were caught napping as Benzema beat the offside trap to sweep the ball home.
Madrid will have been relieved to get off the mark and ease some pressure, and they went on to double their lead five minutes before the break. Isco and first goalscorer Benzema combined for the former to grab a goal of his own, horribly exposing Getafe's defence.
Isco picked the ball up on the right, knocking it inside to his team-mate whose return pass left the defence flat-footed. It was all very easy for Madrid as the Spaniard laced the ball across the goalkeeper and into the back of the net to make it 2-0.
Five minutes after the break, it was three for Real Madrid when Bale slotted in his 16th league goal of the season. A wonderful ball through found the Welshman, who used his pace to sprint away from the defence and give himself a one-on-one opportunity. With his left foot, Bale slotted the ball past the onrushing Guaita, a wonderful finish into the bottom corner.
With the result all-but-confirmed, the away side took their foot off the gas and allowed Getafe a chance to pull one back. Out of nothing, former Real Madrid academy graduate Pablo Sarabia fired beautifully into the far corner.
The shot seemed to come out of frustration more than anything else, but his inch-perfect strike into the top corner of Keylor Navas' net will certainly go down as the goal of the day.
If the result hadn't been confirmed earlier in the match, it really was game over was Rodriguez added a fourth with two minutes of the 90 to play. He picked the ball up inside the 18-yard box, pulling back brilliantly to take himself away from the last defender. With a second or two to choose his spot, he coolly knocked the ball past Guaita to restore Madrid's three-goal advantage.
Ronaldo was notable in his absence from the scoresheet going into injury time, but with the final kick he added his name. All the praise must go to Jese, who beat the offside trap to give himself a one-on-one opportunity with the keeper.
Unselfishly, he pulled the ball across to Ronaldo, who was able to knock in with ease. An impressive, ruthless victory for Real Madrid, who now pass the baton to their top-of-the-table rivals on Sunday evening. The La Liga title race is certainly hotting up.
Player ratings
Real Madrid: Navas (7), Marcelo (7), Varane (7), Pepe (8), Carvajal (8), Kroos (7), Rodriguez (8), Isco (8), Ronaldo (7), Benzema (8), Bale (8)
Subs: Nacho (6), Vazquez (7), Jese (7)
Getafe: Guaita (5), Alvaro (6), Vergini (4), Vigaray (5), Damian (4), Sarabia (7), Rodriguez (6), Leon (6), Lacen (6), Stefan (5), Alvaro (6)
Subs: Yoda (6), Moi Gomez (6), Buendia (5)
Man of the match: Isco
