La Liga: Real Madrid hit record 10

Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale (left) scores past Rayo Vallecano’s Ze Castro in their La Liga match at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid on Sunday. Real won 10-2. — AP

Gareth Bale scored four times as Real Madrid came from behind to beat nine-man Rayo Vallecano 10-2 in a wild game at the Santiago Bernabeu to close the gap on La Liga leaders Barcelona and Atletico Madrid to two points.

It is the first time in 55 years that a team has scored 10 goals in a La Liga game.

However, the Madrid fans still voiced their disapproval towards under fire coach Rafael Benitez after Real found themselves 1-2 down inside 12 minutes.

Red cards inside half an hour for Tito and Raul Baena opened the floodgates, though, as a double from Cristiano Ronaldo and a hat-trick for Karim Benzema added to Bale’s most prolific day in three years as a Madrid player.

Atletico have the chance to extend their lead at the top back to five points later on Sunday when they visit Malaga.

Barcelona aren’t in La Liga action this weekend as they sealed the Club World Cup with a 3-0 win over River Plate in Japan earlier on Sunday.

“We conceded the goals early, but then the team reacted,” said Benitez.

Elsewhere, Celta Vigo stayed a point clear of Villarreal in the battle for fourth with a 2-0 win at Granada thanks to goals from Fabian Orellana and Iago Aspas.

Villarreal were also 2-0 victors away to Real Sociedad courtesy of a Denis Suarez double.

And Athletic Bilbao moved up to seventh as Mikel San Jose and Inaki Williams were on target in their 2-0 win over Levante.