Ronaldo’s hattrick helps Real keep pace with Barca

A Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick helped Real Madrid fight back to beat classy Villarreal 4-2 on Sunday to cut Barcelona's La Liga lead to two points.

A Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick helped Real Madrid fight back to beat classy Villarreal 4-2 on Sunday to cut Barcelona's La Liga lead to two points.

The forward equalised twice in the first half and then fired the hosts in front in the 79th minute with his 22nd league goal of the season before setting up Kaka for the fourth.

Real have 47 points from 18 games, with Barcelona on 49 after the champions swept aside Deportivo 4-0 on Saturday.

“Cristiano leaves me speechless. There he is game after game, week after week. I don't know how to describe his performances,” coach Jose Mourinho said after Real moved 11 points ahead of third-placed Villarreal. Valencia are fourth on 34 points after Juan Mata, who had earlier missed a penalty, grabbed a late winner in a 1-0 victory at city rivals Levante.

Espanyol crushed visiting Real Zaragoza 4-0 to keep up their push for a Champions League qualification place.

Pablo Osvaldo, Luis Garcia (penalty) and Alvaro Vazquez put the Barcelona-based side 3-0 up at halftime and Sergio Garcia completed the rout in the 87th minute to leave Espanyol fifth with 31 points.

Real Mallorca won 4-1 at home to Almeria, Osasuna drew 0-0 with Getafe and Sporting Gijon grabbed a last-gasp equaliser through Diego Castro to draw 1-1 at Racing Santander. That result dragged Sporting off the foot of the table and up to 18th on goal difference.