<p>Cristiano Ronaldo took his league tally for the season to 30 as leaders Real Madrid swept aside Espanyol 5-0 at the Bernabeu to restore their 10-point advantage over Barcelona in La Liga on Sunday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The Portuguese forward, last season's European Golden Boot winner with 40 league goals, opened the scoring from Gonzalo Higuain's lay-off in the 23rd minute, to take his total in all competitions to 38.<br /><br />Sami Khedira doubled the lead after playing a one-two with his German international team-mate Mesut Ozil in the 38th minute and Higuain buried a third just after the re-start.<br /><br />Kaka set up the third, bagged the fourth with a run and shot off the post in the 66th, and pulled back for Higuain to hammer the fifth high into the net in the 78th.<br /><br />Jose Mourinho's team moved a step closer towards their first league title in four years as they climbed to 67 points with 13 left to play.<br /><br />“We're very pleased,” Argentina international Higuain told Spanish television. “There's still a long way to go so it was important for us to maintain our points advantage.”<br /><br />Champions Barcelona survived a 46th-minute red card for Gerard Pique to beat lowly Sporting Gijon 3-1 at home to move on to 57 points on Saturday.<br /><br />Sofiane Feghouli earned Valencia a 1-0 victory at Granada, his side's first road win in La Liga since November, to keep them third in the standings with 43 points.<br /><br />Home ’keeper Julio Cesar made a hash of parrying the Frenchman's tame shot in the 32nd minute in a scrappy match littered with yellow cards.<br /><br />Valencia's second league win of 2012 strengthened their hold on third place ahead of Athletic Bilbao in fourth with 37.<br /><br />Manchester United's opponents in the Europa League next week moved into the Champions League places with a 2-0 home win over Real Sociedad in the Basque derby.<br />Markel Susaeta scored in each half, the second a superb free-kick struck into the top corner 10 minutes from time.<br /><br />The visitors from San Sebastian were unlucky not to level at the beginning of the second half when a Carlos Vela shot appeared to cross the line before Gorka Iraizoz got to the ball.<br /><br />Sixth-placed Levante with 35 points can reclaim fourth place with a win at home to Real Betis on Monday.<br /><br />Basement side Real Zaragoza kept alive their hopes of avoiding the drop with a 2-1 comeback win against Villarreal, thanks to goals from Luis Garcia and Abraham Minero in the last five minutes.<br /><br />The cash-strapped club, who are in administration, earned their first home win since October and have 18 points, nine from safety. <br /></p>
<p>Cristiano Ronaldo took his league tally for the season to 30 as leaders Real Madrid swept aside Espanyol 5-0 at the Bernabeu to restore their 10-point advantage over Barcelona in La Liga on Sunday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The Portuguese forward, last season's European Golden Boot winner with 40 league goals, opened the scoring from Gonzalo Higuain's lay-off in the 23rd minute, to take his total in all competitions to 38.<br /><br />Sami Khedira doubled the lead after playing a one-two with his German international team-mate Mesut Ozil in the 38th minute and Higuain buried a third just after the re-start.<br /><br />Kaka set up the third, bagged the fourth with a run and shot off the post in the 66th, and pulled back for Higuain to hammer the fifth high into the net in the 78th.<br /><br />Jose Mourinho's team moved a step closer towards their first league title in four years as they climbed to 67 points with 13 left to play.<br /><br />“We're very pleased,” Argentina international Higuain told Spanish television. “There's still a long way to go so it was important for us to maintain our points advantage.”<br /><br />Champions Barcelona survived a 46th-minute red card for Gerard Pique to beat lowly Sporting Gijon 3-1 at home to move on to 57 points on Saturday.<br /><br />Sofiane Feghouli earned Valencia a 1-0 victory at Granada, his side's first road win in La Liga since November, to keep them third in the standings with 43 points.<br /><br />Home ’keeper Julio Cesar made a hash of parrying the Frenchman's tame shot in the 32nd minute in a scrappy match littered with yellow cards.<br /><br />Valencia's second league win of 2012 strengthened their hold on third place ahead of Athletic Bilbao in fourth with 37.<br /><br />Manchester United's opponents in the Europa League next week moved into the Champions League places with a 2-0 home win over Real Sociedad in the Basque derby.<br />Markel Susaeta scored in each half, the second a superb free-kick struck into the top corner 10 minutes from time.<br /><br />The visitors from San Sebastian were unlucky not to level at the beginning of the second half when a Carlos Vela shot appeared to cross the line before Gorka Iraizoz got to the ball.<br /><br />Sixth-placed Levante with 35 points can reclaim fourth place with a win at home to Real Betis on Monday.<br /><br />Basement side Real Zaragoza kept alive their hopes of avoiding the drop with a 2-1 comeback win against Villarreal, thanks to goals from Luis Garcia and Abraham Minero in the last five minutes.<br /><br />The cash-strapped club, who are in administration, earned their first home win since October and have 18 points, nine from safety. <br /></p>
