Match ends, Espanyol 1, Real Madrid 4.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored his seventh hat-trick of the season to give Real Madrid victory at Espanyol as Barcelona won the title.
Ronaldo fired low under Kiko Casilla to make it 1-0 but Espanyol equalised through Cristhian Stuani after an error from Madrid keeper Keylor Navas.
Marcelo made it 2-1 with a firm drive before Ronaldo added the third from 12 yards.
The Portugal star then headed in his third from James Rodriguez's cross.
Trailing Barcelona by four points before kick-off, Real needed to better their rivals' result to take the title race to the last match of the campaign.
Los Blancos did their bit but they needed a favour from neighbours Atletico Madrid, which did not come as Barca won 1-0 in the Spanish capital.
Ronaldo's treble took his tally for the season to 45 in La Liga - four ahead of Barcelona forward Lionel Messi, who hit the winner for his club.
Messi v Ronaldo - goals and glory since Ronaldo moved to Madrid in 2009 | |
---|---|
Lionel Messi (Age: 27) | Cristiano Ronaldo (Age: 30) |
Appearances: 318 | Appearances: 299 |
Goals: 328 | Goals: 310 |
Major honours (14): La Liga (4), Champions League (1), Spanish Cup (1), Uefa Super Cup (2), Spanish Supercup (4), Fifa Club World Cup (2). | Major honours (7): La Liga (1), Champions League (1), Spanish Cup (2), Uefa Super Cup (1), Spanish Supercup (1), Fifa Club World Cup (1) |
Source:messivsronaldo.net |
Ronaldo's first came when he latched on to Karim Benzema's through ball and beat Casilla with a left-foot finish.
Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti chose to drop Iker Casillas in favour of Navas but the back-up goalkeeper was at fault as Espanyol equalised.
His heavy touch after Pepe's back-pass allowed Stuani to close him down. A scuffed clearance fell to Sergio Garcia who fed Stuani to score from close range.
Casillas, 33, and Navas, 28, have both made high-profile mistakes in recent matches for Madrid, who continue to be linked with a move for Manchester United's David De Gea.
Espanyol were level for six minutes before Ronaldo cut the ball back to Marcelo and the Brazilian full-back rifled in his first league goal of the season.
Four minutes later, Ronaldo scored his second when substitute Javier Hernandez - on loan from United - raced on to Marcelo's long ball and hooked the ball back for his team-mate to score.
Ronaldo, 30, completed his hat-trick in stoppage time with a downward header at the back post after Rodriguez's cross from the left but it proved in vain as Barcelona saw out the victory they needed to end Madrid's championship chances.
It means Madrid have won La Liga only once in the past seven seasons.
Line-ups
Espanyol
Formation 3-4-1-2
- 13Casilla
- 22González Soberón
- 19ColottoSubstituted forMontañés Claveríasat 84'minutes
- 15Moreno
- 23Arbilla
- 4Sánchez MataBooked at 55mins
- 16López Rodríguez
- 5Álvarez Delgado
- 10González CasanovaSubstituted forMattioniat 84'minutes
- 9García de la Fuente
- 20CaicedoBooked at 18minsSubstituted forStuaniat 64'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Mattioni
- 6Sevilla López
- 8Stuani
- 14Canas Ruiz Herrera
- 18Fuentes Hernández
- 24Montañés Claverías
- 25López
Real Madrid
Formation 4-3-3
- 13NavasBooked at 74mins
- 15CarvajalBooked at 68minsSubstituted forNachoat 81'minutes
- 3PepeBooked at 23mins
- 2Varane
- 12MarceloBooked at 74mins
- 23IscoSubstituted forIllarramendiat 73'minutes
- 8Kroos
- 10Rodríguez
- 11Bale
- 9BenzemaSubstituted forHernándezat 63'minutes
- 7Cristiano Ronaldo
Substitutes
- 1Casillas
- 5da Silva Coentrão
- 14Hernández
- 16Borges
- 18Nacho
- 20Rodríguez Ruiz
- 24Illarramendi
- Referee:
- Juan Martínez Munuera
- Attendance:
- 30,180
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home45%
- Away55%
- Shots
- Home15
- Away18
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away7
- Corners
- Home2
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home17
- Away12
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Espanyol 1, Real Madrid 4.
Post update
Attempt missed. Gareth Bale (Real Madrid) right footed shot from the right side of the box is too high. Assisted by Asier Illarramendi.
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Offside, Espanyol. Felipe Mattioni tries a through ball, but Christian Stuani is caught offside.
Goal!
Goal! Espanyol 1, Real Madrid 4. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) header from the right side of the six yard box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by James Rodríguez with a cross.
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Attempt missed. Nacho (Real Madrid) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Gareth Bale with a cross.
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Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Anaitz Arbilla (Espanyol).
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Attempt missed. Felipe Mattioni (Espanyol) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Víctor Sánchez.
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Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Paco Montañés (Espanyol).
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Attempt blocked. Paco Montañés (Espanyol) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Javi López.
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Marcelo (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Christian Stuani (Espanyol).
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Attempt missed. Marcelo (Real Madrid) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Cristiano Ronaldo with a cross.
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Asier Illarramendi (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Paco Montañés (Espanyol).
Substitution
Substitution, Espanyol. Felipe Mattioni replaces Abraham.
Substitution
Substitution, Espanyol. Paco Montañés replaces Diego Colotto.
Goal!
Goal! Espanyol 1, Real Madrid 3. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the top left corner.