Gonzalo Higuain hit a hat-trick as Real Madrid provided the ideal
response to crashing out of the Champions League with a 4-1 victory.
Cristiano Ronaldo was also on target for Madrid as they swept past
Real Valladolid to stay level on points with Barcelona at the top
of the Primera Division.
Raul Albiol's own goal, which briefly reduced the arrears to 3-1,
was all the home side could muster.
Wednesday night's 1-1 draw with Lyon at the Bernabeu, which gave
the French side a 2-1 aggregate win in their Champions League last-16
tie, had called into question the position of coach Manuel Pellegrini.
But, with Barca having piled the pressure on even more with a 3-0
win over Valencia earlier in the evening, his side never looked
in danger of suffering further embarrassment against a side battling
desperately against relegation.
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