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MADRID: Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Real Madrid made it three wins in three games with a 5-0 thrashing of bottom side Xerez in Spanish league action on Sunday.
There was no David versus Goliath scenario as the might of Real, with a budget of 400 million euros, crushed the newcomers who have the smallest budget in La Liga.
Ronaldo opened the scoring inside the first minute in the match played at the Bernabeu but Xerez held on until the final quarter when the Portuguese winger, Guti, Karim Benzema and Ruud van Nistelrooy all netted in quick succession.
It was a sweet return to action for van Nistelrooy, who was making his first competitive appearance since suffering a serious right knee injury last year.
The result saw Real move ahead of defending champions Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao on goal difference at the top of La Liga.
Valencia play Sporting Gijon in the late game and will join the leading trio on nine points should they win.
In earlier games, Bilbao posted a 3-2 win over Villarreal, Spain striker Fernando Llorente grabbing a brace and Javi Martinez getting one, with Cani and Santi Cazorla netting for the visitors.
In other games, Michel fired Almeria to a 1-0 win over Getafe 1-0 while Real Zaragoza slumped to a 2-1 home defeat by Real Valladolid.
In Saturday's action, Argentine star Lionel Messi celebrated his new two-year contract extension with Barcelona by scoring twice in the European champions' 5-2 win over floundering Atletico Madrid.
New signing Alvaro Negredo scored his first goal for Sevilla in their 2-0 defeat of Osasuna, while Real Mallorca equalled their best ever start to a season with a convincing 4-0 win over promoted Tenerife.
Bottom side Espanyol managed their first win of the season, and their first goals, with a 3-2 away win at Deportivo la Coruna.
Spanish League results on Sunday:
Almeria 1 Getafe 0
Athletic Bilbao 3 Villarreal 2
Real Madrid 5 Xerez 0
Real Zaragoza 1 Valladolid 2
Valencia 2 Sporting Gijon 2
- AFP/de
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