First Division - Day 26

Valladolid 1 - Real Madrid 4

Valladolid: Justo Villar; Pedro López, César Arzo, Javi Baraja (Nivaldo 08'), Del Horno; Carlos Lázaro, Pelé; Nauzet (Bueno 65'), Medunjanin, Marquitos (Keko 59'); Diego Costa. 4-2-3-1.
Madrid: Casillas; Arbeloa, Sergio Ramos, Raúl Albiol, Marcelo; Lass, Xabi Alonso (Gago 85'), Van der Vaart, Granero (Guti 68'); Cristiano Ronaldo, Higuaín (Raúl 73'). 4-4-2.

Goals:
0-1. 28. Ronaldo. Free kick from outside area which took deflection off Costa.
0-2. 45. Higuaín. Ran in to turn Van der Vaart free kick past keeper from close up.
0-3. 52. Higuaín. Shot wide of Villar after Ronaldo headed on Xabi Alonso pass.
1-3. 58. Albiol (own goal). Deflected ball in to net after Casillas saved from Costa.
1-4. 65. Higuaín. Turned ball in on far post after Villar pushed out Ronaldo shot.

Yellow cards: Del Horno 12', Sergio Ramos 20', Carlos Lázaro 23', Medunjanin 28', Xabi Alonso 30', Granero 36', Nauzet 52', Pelé 88'.

Real Madrid stay ahead of rivals Barcelona on goal difference after beating Valladolid 1-4 in the last match on Sunday evening, a relief for Pellegrini and his side after their midweek elimination from the Champions League. Cristiano Ronaldo started things off midway through the first half with a free kick which took a slight deflection off the head of Diego Costa, and Higuaín added two more either side of half time, the first from Van der Vaart's free kick and the second after Ronaldo headed on a Xabi Alonso free kick. The home side's best chance up to then was from a Pelé free kick which Casillas pushed against the post, and they got one back when Albiol deflected the ball in to his own net after Casillas blocked a shot from Costa. But Higuaín completed his hat-trick a few minutes later after Villar could only parry a wide shot from Ronaldo, and although Pelé hit the post again with another free kick late on, the game was already over.