* Ronaldo hat-trick secures 4-1 win in Madrid derby
* Real four points clear of Barca with six games left
* Valencia go third after thumping Rayo Vallecano 4-1
(Adds quotes, results, byline)
By Iain Rogers
MADRID, April 11 (Reuters) – Leaders Real Madrid restored
their four-point advantage over chasing Barcelona when Cristiano
Ronaldo netted his seventh hat-trick of the La Liga campaign in
a 4-1 drubbing of city neighbours Atletico on Wednesday.
Real had seen their lead over their arch rivals whittled
down to one point after Sunday’s 0-0 draw at home to Valencia
and Barca’s 4-0 win at home to Getafe on Tuesday and needed a
win to keep their bid for a first title in four years on track.
Ronaldo was the difference between the sides at the Calderon
and the Portuguese international smashed in a free kick to open
the scoring in the 25th minute before Radamel Falcao nodded an
equaliser 10 minutes into the second half.
Atletico, who have not beaten Real in almost 13 years,
pressed forward in search of an unlikely winner but Ronaldo made
it 2-1 in the 68th minute when he drifted in from the left and
arrowed a long-range shot over goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
The goal incensed some of the home fans and they pelted the
Real players with plastic bottles as they celebrated together in
the corner of the pitch.
Atletico defender Diego Godin felled Gonzalo Higuain in the
penalty area around 10 minutes from time and Ronaldo stroked the
spot kick past Courtois for his 40th league goal of the
campaign, equaling the La Liga record he set last season.
He is one ahead of Barca forward and World Player of the
Year Lionel Messi, who scored the Spanish champions’ second goal
on Tuesday.
BIT TENSE
Ronaldo, who sent Jose Callejon clear on the right in the
88th minute to score Real’s fourth, said he and his team mates
had been feeling the pressure after Barca’s victory.
“We were a bit tense as we knew that Barca had won yesterday
and we had to win,” Ronaldo, who is the first player in the
history of Europe’s top four leagues to net 40 goals in
consecutive seasons, said in a television interview.
“I am very pleased that the team won, that I scored and set
up a goal and we have to carry on in the same way.
“There is still some way to go in the league but we are
closer to the title now.”
Real, who play at Barca’s Nou Camp stadium on April 21, have
82 points from 32 matches, with Barca on 78. Europa League
semi-finalists Atletico are ninth on 42 points and in danger of
missing out on a place in Europe next season.
In the earlier kickoffs, Valencia climbed above Malaga into
third and an automatic qualification slot for next season’s
Champions League when a Jonas double helped them to a 4-1 win at
home to Rayo Vallecano.
Jordi Alba and Pablo Hernandez also struck for the Europa
League semi-finalists, who have 52 points.
Valencia’s less illustrious city neighbours Levante missed a
chance to go fourth when they surrendered the lead and lost 3-2
at relegation-threatened Sporting Gijon.
They stay fifth on 48 points, two behind Malaga who play at
struggling Villarreal on Thursday and can reclaim third with a
win at the Madrigal.
Athletic Bilbao, who are also through to the last four of
the Europa League but whose La Liga form has been erratic, had
to come from two goals down to rescue a 2-2 draw at 10-man
Granada and are seventh on 42 points.
(Reporting by Iain Rogers, editing by Dave Thompson and Pritha
Sarkar)
