Real Madrid 5-1 Elche: Cristiano Ronaldo bags FOUR and Gareth Bale gets another

• Real Madrid defeated Elche 5-1 in their La Liga clash at the Bernabeu
• Visitors took a shock lead through Albácar Gallego after a controversial penalty was awarded by referee Carlos Carlos Gómez
• Gareth Bale equalised with a header from James Rodriguez's cross
• Cristiano Ronaldo scored four more goals including a pair of penalties
• Portuguese has now scored 25 hat-tricks for Los Blancos 

Cristiano Ronaldo scored hat-trick number 25 of his Real Madrid career as Carlo Ancelotti’s side made it 18 goals in three games with a thumping win over Elche.

It was Ronaldo’s eighth goal inside a week and after the game he was asked if he was still happy at Madrid.

He said: ‘Things are going well for more on a personal level the team is scoring goals, winning matches and playing well.’ Asked about Jose Mourinho’s recent comments about the pair no longer having a relationship, he added: ‘It’s not for me to talk about things like that I’m just concentrating on what we are doing on the pitch.’ 

Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale celebrate after the Portuguese scored his second in the 5-1 victory

Elche forward Edu Albscar (R) scores a controversial penalty past Keylor Navas to open the scoring

Bale wheels away in celebration after bringing Real Madrid back on level terms at the Bernabeu

Ronaldo scored in his 13th consecutive home game after another controversial penalty

Ronaldo sends a kiss to the Bernabeu after completing his hat-trick from thepenalty spot.

MATCH FACTS 

Real Madrid: Navas, Marcelo, Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Kroos, Rodríguez, Illarramendi, Bale, Isco, Ronaldo

Subs: Casillas, Coentrão, Benzema, Hernández, Arbeloa, Nacho, Modric

Booked: Carvajal, Marcelo

Scorers: Bale 20', Ronaldo 28', 32', 80', 90'

Elche: Yagüe, Gallego, Pelegrín, Lombán, Cisma, Romero, Corominas, Rodrigues, Mosquera, Morales, Cristian de Jesus

Booked: Gallego

Scorer: Gallego 15' 

Subs: Suárez, Roco, Herrera, Martín, Fajr, Pasalic, Tyton

Ref: Carlos Clos Gómez

At: 65,000

There was crisis talk a week ago at Madrid but five goals against Basle in the Champions League, eight against Deportivo, and five against Elche here have silenced all the gloom.

They will face far tougher opposition in the coming weeks but now, fully in their stride, they will fear no one. Ronaldo even grabbed a late fourth goal from a Gareth Bale pass and that blossoming partnership is another reason for Real Madrid supporters to be full of optimism.

The highlight of the first half was a strange refereeing performance from Carlos Clos Gomez. On 15 minutes he pointed to the spot when Ronaldo looked to clear from inside the area and caught Pedro Mosquera unintentionally. Ronaldo later admitted that it had been a penalty but both Real Madrid and Elche players looked bemused.

Within minutes Gomez had made another very strange decision this time in Madrid’s favour.

Gary Mendes Rodrigues went down under a challenge from Marcelo. It was debatable whether the challenge had been a foul but the contact from Marcelo that brought the Elche forward crashing to ground was inside the area. Clos gave a free-kick on the edge of the area that Elche wasted. 

Albácar Gallego points to the sky after giving Elche a surprise lead from the penalty spot

Bale equalised only four minutes later with a towering header from James Rodriguez's cross

The former Tottenham Hotspur winger issues his trademark 'heart-shaped hands' goal celebration

New signing Keylor Navas (above) makes an acrobatic save while Iker Casillas watched from the bench

Before the next bizarre penalty incident Real Madrid were level with Bale heading in James Rodriguez’ cross. It was his fifth goal in five games - aided by Manu Herrera’s very flat dive.

Then came penalty number two with Gomez pointing to the spot after minimal contact from Mosquera on Marcelo – again players from both sides looked bemused but Ronaldo’s penalty was unstoppable into the top right-hand corner.

Real Madrid extended their lead when Ronaldo scored with another thundering header this time from a Bale cross.

The home side were now in complete control and debutant keeper Keylor Navas was having less and less to do. In for the rested Iker Casillas who is expected to brought back into the side for the weekend’s difficult trip to Villarreal, it was Navas first competitive match since the World Cup.

Casillas was still the centre of attention with cameras focused on the bench as he munched on an apple during the second half. He appears to be a dead man walking in Madrid’s battle of the goalkeepers with Navas unlikely to still be the number two next season. For now however the greatest keeper in Spain’s history retains seniority and this start for Navas was seen as a reward for his patience. 

Ronaldo hangs in the air before planting a bullet header into the bottom left cornerfor his second

Ronaldo strenghthened his reputation as one of the best headers in the game with a bullet second goal

Real defender Sergio Ramos (L) has a headed effort on goal during the first-half

Real Madrid players celebrate with Ronaldo en route to victory in front of their home fans

Ronaldo gets his fourth and final goal of the night after a break away in the dying minutes

Madrid toiled for the fourth goal and Ronaldo came close with a shot drilled towards Herrera’s near post scrambled away by the keeper who then fumbled the resulting corner kick.

Javier Hernandez came on with ten minutes left replacing James. The former Manchester United former had staked his claim for a place in the starting line-up with two goals against Deportivo last weekend but as if to show how difficult it will be for him to get into Carlo Ancelotti’s starting line-up, he was on the bench again despite the debut goals.

Hernandez’s appearance did bring a goal but it came from another former United player with Ronaldo wining another slightly dubious penalty and thrashing it home for goal number four and hat-trick number 25. He and Bale had not finished and there was a late fourth for Ronaldo – his eighth goal inside a week.