Cristiano Ronaldo Nets Another Hat-Trick as Real Madrid Rout Espanyol
Cristiano Ronaldo's monumental efforts were in vain however, as Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid and sealed the La Liga title.
- Indo-Asian News Service
- Updated: May 18, 2015 12:57 PM IST
![Cristiano Ronaldo Nets Another Hat-Trick as Real Madrid Rout Espanyol](https://s.ndtvimg.com/images/content/2015/may/806/cristiano-ronaldo-real-madrid-hat-trick.jpg)
Striker Cristiano Ronaldo produced a hat-trick in Real Madrid's 4-1 away win over Espanyol, although FC Barcelona clinched Spain's La Liga football title by defeating Atletico Madrid 1-0 on the latter's home turf. (Barcelona seal La Liga title)
It took Ronaldo 59 minutes to notch the first goal of the match at the Power8 stadium here but the home squad evened things up 14 minutes later through a shot by Cristhian Stuani after a mistake by Madrid goalie Keylor Navas, reports Efe.
Marcelo put the Madrid team back in the lead in the 78th minute, and then Ronaldo scored twice in the later stages of the match. (Barcelona - From crisis club to champions)
Going into the match four points behind Barcelona in the standings, Real needed to win and needed Barcelona to lose in order to push the title competition into the last week of the season.
Ronaldo's trio of goals brought his season tally to 45 in La Liga matches - four out in front of Barcelona's brilliant Argentine, Lionel Messi, who notched the lone goal of the Barcelona-Atletico Madrid match.