Real Madrid smash eight past helpless Deportivo la Coruna in la Liga

Real Madrid smash eight past helpless Deportivo la Coruna in la Liga

Real Madrid scored eight goals and Cristiano Ronaldo helped himself to a hat-trick to ensure they didn't follow up back-to-back defeats in la Liga with a third consecutive loss.

After losing to Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad it would have been suicidal to lose in Galicia, but buoyed by a midweek thumping of Basel in the Champions League, they made light work of Saturday afternoon's encounter with Deportivo la Coruna.

Two goals from Cristiano Ronaldo sandwiched a brilliant James Rodriguez strike as Los Blancos eased into the interval with a 3-0 lead.

Depor rallied after the break and Haris Medunjanin pulled one back from the penalty spot, but the damage was done and Gareth Bale was able to add two more to Madrid's tally in the second half and Ronaldo completed his treble.

Substitute Toche added a late consolation for the hosts, but Javier Hernandez, also on from the bench, scored topped Madrid up to eight with two stunning goals -- his first since joining Madrid from Manchester United on loan..

Carlo Ancelotti has made no secrets about what his favoured front six is, and it was the same names that started this match at Riazor: James sat in front of Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, with Ronaldo and Bale flanking Karim Benzema. 

It was Bale who should have opened the scoring just after 15 minutes, but he was denied brilliantly by German Lux from point blank range. 

With the half hour mark approaching, though, the floodgates opened. 

Alvaro Arbeloa delivered the cross and Ronaldo supplied a wonderful header to nudge Madrid into the lead -- it was his third goal in his third league game; the fourth would come soon.

James then, briefly, took centre stage, smashing a curling left-footed effort into the unreachable depths of the top corner. Madrid were crusing.

Things got worse when Lux raced off his line, unable to dispossess Benzema and Ronaldo was left with an open net to lash the ball into from the best part of 30 yards.

Ramos' hand ball allowed Medunjanin to score from 12 yards after the break, but despite periods of pressure in the second half, the home side never looked capable of producing what would have been a stunning comeback.

Instead, Madrid eased through the gears to really punish Deportivo in a goal crazy finale.