'BBC' trio puts Real back on top

Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema took a feeble Real Betis apart to fire Real Madrid to a 5-0 win on Saturday that put them even with Barcelona and Atletico Madrid at the top of La Liga.

Madrid's dynamic performance against the bottom club laid down a marker ahead of Barca and Atletico's games on Sunday at Levante and at home to Sevilla respectively and suggested Carlo Ancelotti's side is in fine fettle going into the second half of the season.

The three top sides all have 50 points, with fourth-placed Athletic Bilbao, which hosts struggling Real Valladolid on Monday, trailing well behind at 36.