Cristiano Ronaldo scored an eight-minute hat-trick in a five-goal individual haul as Real Madrid thrashed Primera Division strugglers Granada 9-1 at the Bernabeu on Sunday.
Gareth Bale went some way to silencing his critics with the 25th-minute opener after rounding the keeper before Ronaldo took centre stage, propelling Real to a 4-0 halftime lead with strikes in the 30th, 36th and 38th minutes.
A second-half flurry of three goals in four minutes saw Karim Benzema add Real's fifth in the 52nd minute before Ronaldo headed his fourth of the match soon after. Benzema slotted home his second and the hosts' seventh in the 56th minute.
Robert Ibanez pulled one back for Granada in the 74th but it proved to be only a small consolation for the visitors, especially as an own goal by Diego Mainz brought Real an eighth before the irrepressible Ronaldo claimed his fifth in the last minute.
Jeremy Mathieu scored a late headed goal to give Barcelona all three points from a testing encounter at Celta Vigo.
The French defender outmuscled his marker at the far post to head home Xavi's free-kick in the 75th minute, just two weeks after nodding in the opening goal in the 2-1 win over Real Madrid.
Barcelona struggled for large parts of the game against coach Luis Enrique's former employers -- who were reduced to 10 men in the closing minutes as Fabian Orellana was shown a straight red card for throwing a piece of turf at Sergio Busquets -- but they stay four points clear of Madrid at the top of the Primera Division thanks to Mathieu's header.
Red-hot Valencia were frustrated in their bid to reclaim third spot from Atletico Madrid as they were held to a goalless draw by local rivals Villarreal.
Los Che, looking for a seventh win in eight matches, created the better of the few chances there were at the Mestalla but could not find a way past visiting keeper Sergio Asenjo.
Asenjo did well to deny Rodrigo and Paco Alcacer in quick succession midway through the second half before ensuring Valencia substitute Alvaro Negredo did not snatch a late winner.
The result means Valencia remain in fourth spot, a point behind Atletico, who beat Cordoba on Saturday. Villarreal stay in sixth.
Getafe moved seven points clear of the relegation zone by beating fellow strugglers Deportivo La Coruna 2-1 at home.
Alexis Ruano and Sergio Escudero both scored their first goals of the season to give Pablo Franco's side a two-goal lead at half-time, but the Galicians produced a much better performance after the break and had several chances to score before substitute Toche pulled a goal back in the 78th minute.
However, Victor Fernandez's side created few further openings and they remain one point above the bottom-three, without a win in seven matches, while Getafe move on to 32 points and edge closer to safety.