Football
PA Sport 10y

Real Madrid cruise past Levante, Barcelona beat Eibar

Cristiano Ronaldo was at the double as Real Madrid warmed up for next week's clasico clash against Barcelona by thrashing a hapless Levante 5-0 in Valencia on Saturday afternoon.

The ruthless Portugal forward broke the deadlock from the penalty spot and then scored a fine solo effort to make it 15 league goals in seven games for the season, with Javier Hernandez, James Rodriguez and Isco also on the scoresheet.

With the clasico lurking just around the corner, Madrid are finding form just at the right time -- they have now scored at least five goals in four of their last five matches

Barcelona continued their stunning start to the 2014-15 Liga campaign with a 3-0 victory over minnows Eibar courtesy of second-half strikes from Xavi, Neymar and Lionel Messi.

Fans were hoping Messi would score the three goals necessary to break the all-time La Liga goal-scoring record, but Luis Enrique's side were made to work for the three points as they drew a blank in the opening 45 minutes.

Messi was instrumental as he sliced open the Eibar defence for Xavi to clip home a fine chip on the hour, while Neymar ruthlessly dispatched a volley 12 minutes later before Messi raced clear on the left and slid a low effort in off Aranzamendi's left-hand post with 14 minutes left on the clock.

The Argentine now needs one more goal to match Telmo Zarra's record of 251 in the division.

Celta Vigo striker Nolito scored midway through the second half to secure a 1-1 draw and end Athletic Bilbao's hopes of halting a winless run which now stretches to seven games.

Ernesto Valverde's Primera Division strugglers had made a dream start when Aritz Aduriz put them in front from the penalty spot with just six minutes on the clock.

But Nolito's 73rd-minute effort salvaged a point for Celta, who were keen to respond to their 3-1 home defeat to Villarreal in their last match prior to the international break.

Malaga won 2-1 at winless Cordoba in the late kick-off.

First-half goals from Samu and Nordin Amrabat with a penalty put the visitors in control and they were home and dry by the time Nabil Ghilas grabbed a consolation for Cordoba four minutes into time added on.

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