Cristiano Ronaldo scored a fantastic five goals as Real Madrid ran riot over relegation strugglers Granada CF in their fixture earlier today. Los Blancos won the game by a staggering 9-1 scoreline, which is surprising given the fact the game was goal-less up until the 25th minute, where a through ball by German midfielder Toni Kroos set Gareth Bale on the run beyond the visitors' backline, he skipped past the 'keeper and from a tight angle, tapped the shot into an empty net. 

Kroos' impressive range of passing was on display again just five minutes later, where he crossed the ball towards the back post for Karim Benzema to have an attempt on-goal, but the Frenchman was unable to sort his feet out in time to latch onto the teasing delivery, so Ronaldo pounced on the danger as Granada's feeble attempts to clear were not good enough, and his effort curled into the bottom corner of the net. 

In the 35th minute, it was soon three nil. Ronaldo's quick footwork and neat skills on the flank teased Marcelo to push forward in support to his left, he passed across towards the Brazilian full-back whose attempted cross/shot was parried by the goalkeeper, unfortunately for the visitors, it fell straight into the path of the Portuguese superstar Ronaldo who had a powerful volley from close range flash into the net with style.   

Then just two minutes later, Ronaldo secured his first-half hat-trick! He darted towards the box and shaped to shoot, and although 'keeper Oier Olazabal got a strong hand to the powerful strike, it arrowed into the corner of the net to make it 4-0 before the interval. 

In the second-half, Ancelotti's men continued from where they left off in the first. James Rodriguez's corner-kick was whipped into the box for Benzema, who controlled the ball near perfectly, before firing past Olazabal into the roof of the net. Marcelo's cross-field ball fell to Bale, who unselfishly squared the ball towards Ronaldo's path with Olazabal in no man's land - he headed the ball into an empty net before hitting his knee against the post from the follow-up. He grimaced slightly before pulling a smurk, knowing he'd scored his FOURTH of the afternoon. 

Then, for the third goal in a matter of just four minutes, Real made it 7-0. Benzema took a pass from Alvaro Arbeloa on the right, sped past the defensive marker and shot low and hard into the back of the net; spinning past a potential goalmouth scramble in the process. 

Granada got a goal of their own, albeit a very slim and meaningless consolation, from Robert Ibanez who was set through with a one-on-one chance from el Arabi, slotting the ball cooly past a disgruntled Iker Casillas, unhappy not to keep a clean sheet in the process. 

However, it was soon 8-1. Diego Mainz scored an own goal, from Luka Modric's powerful low ball into the box, which he tapped past his own 'keeper into the back of the net. Ronaldo was right behind him and ready to score, pressuring Mainz into making a rash decision. 

The last goal of the game came with just seconds to play. Modric's driven delivery from a free-kick swerved towards the far post, where Ronaldo jumped highest to head from a tight angle into the bottom corner of the net. Poor marking from the visitors, but Ancelotti and Cristiano himself will not mind one bit. 

They move within just a point of league leaders Barcelona, who play Celta Vigo in the day's evening kick-off from 8.00pm.