Real hit back at crisis talk with Deportivo hammering

Real Madrid's Welsh forward Gareth Bale (second left) celebrates with Real Madrid's Spanish forward Borja Mayoral (left), Real Madrid's Croatian midfielder Luka Modric (second right) and Real Madrid's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo after scoring during their Spanish league match against RC Deportivo de la Coruna at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on January 21, 2018. PHOTO | OSCAR DEL POZO |

What you need to know:

  • Ronaldo had only scored four league goals before Sunday's clash.

MADRID

Real Madrid moved back into the top four of La Liga after thumping lowly Deportivo La Coruna 7-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday, with Cristiano Ronaldo ending a miserable run of league form with a late double.

Ronaldo had only scored four league goals before Sunday's clash with third-from-bottom Deportivo, but the Portuguese added Real's fifth and sixth with a smart volley and a diving header as they moved back above Villarreal and into the Champions League places.

Villarreal had temporarily taken fourth place with a 2-1 win over Levante on Saturday after beating Real at the Bernabeu for the first time ever last week.

Gareth Bale and Nacho also bagged braces each side of half-time and Luka Modric curled home a 68th-minute beauty as Real came back from a shock early deficit, a 23rd-minute tap-in from Adrian, to romp home to an emphatic victory and ease the pressure on coach Zinedine Zidane.