Despite watching Cristiano Ronaldo go off covered in blood, Real Madrid fans got to celebrate at home again with the team's biggest win of the season in the Spanish league.
Ronaldo, who left the game late with a cut to his face, scored twice as Madrid routed Deportivo La Coruna 7-1 Sunday, ending a three-match winless streak at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium and easing the pressure on coach Zinedine Zidane and his players.
The players needed a game like this, a victory with a lot of goals. It’s always good to score seven times at home. It’s not something that happens very often so we are happy about it. We have to keep this momentum goingZinedine Zidane, Coach, Real Madrid
Gareth Bale and Nacho Fernandez also scored twice, and Luka Modric added another goal for Madrid as it regained fourth place in the standings. Madrid remains 19 points behind leader Barcelona.
At the start of the league's second half, Barcelona is 11 points in front of second-placed Atletico Madrid and 14 points ahead of Valencia. Atletico lost ground after a 1-1 home draw against Girona on Saturday, while Valencia lost 2-1 at Las Palmas.
Madrid is five points behind Valencia but has a game in hand.
Ronaldo had to leave with about five minutes remaining after being hit by defender Fabian Schar’s boot while scoring the team’s sixth goal with a header. He was attended on the field for a while and could not continue as blood spilled over his face.
Zidane said the Portugal forward needed "two or three stitches but was fine."
Madrid had already made three substitutions, but the much-needed victory was already secured by then.
The fans who had loudly jeered the team in recent matches were cheering on their feet after the final whistle at the Bernabeu. The easy win followed a series of poor results that all but ended Madrid's title chances.
Deportivo, in the relegation zone and winless in five games, gave Madrid an early scare when Adrian Lopez opened the scoring midway through the first half.
Meanwhile, Barcelona scored five second-half goals against midtable Real Betis after an even first half at Benito Villamarin Stadium in Seville.
Ivan Rakitic opened the scoring, then Messi and Suarez took over and added to their scoring runs.
Messi is the league's scoring leader with 19 goals, and Suarez has 15.
Messi's second goal late in the game was one to admire, with the Argentine entering the area and going past two defenders before calmly finding the net.
(We Indians have much to talk about these days. But what would you tell India if you had the chance? Pick up the phone and write or record your Letter To India. Don’t be silent, tell her how you feel. Mail us your letter at lettertoindia@thequint.com. We’ll make sure India gets your message.)