Real Madrid kept up the pressure on Liga leaders Barcelona with a 3-0 home win over Eibar on Saturday afternoon.
Carlo Ancelotti rotated his side but Cristiano Ronaldo started and scored the opening goal after 21 minutes, with Javier Hernandez adding a second 10 minutes later. Jese made the game safe with eight minutes remaining.
Ronaldo was initially due to miss the game after picking up a fifth yellow card in the victory over Rayo Vallecano earlier in the week but the booking was rescinded and the Portuguese star was given the all-clear to start.
It took him just over 20 minutes to get on the scoresheet as his curled free-kick – his first goal from a direct free-kick in La Liga since more than a year ago – broke the deadlock.
Hernandez, on loan from Manchester United, then scored his first goal in front of his home support since joining, doubling Madrid’s advantage with a delightful header from an Alvaro Albeloa cross.
Ancelotti’s side took their foot off the pedal in the second period and it seemed Eibar would escape with just a two-goal defeat but Jese had other ideas and capped his fine performance with a well-taken individual goal.
The win puts Madrid within a point of Barcelona, who face Sevilla tonight.