Ronaldo scores hat-trick as Madrid beat Villareal 4-2

Ronaldo scores hat-trick as Madrid beat Villareal 4-2 in La Liga

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a sensational hat-trick as Real Madrid twice came from behind to defeat Villarreal 4-2 last night to maintain their perfect home record and close to within two points of leaders Barcelona.

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo (left) lifts Kaka, while Mesut Ozil (centre) and Marcelo join in to celebrate a goal against Villareal during their Spanish league match at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid last night. PIC/ AFP

Portuguese star Ronaldo took his season's tally to 22 league goals with strikes in the eighth, 44th and 78th minutes after third-place Villarreal had threatened an upset after twice going in front in a pulsating first half at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Barcelona's 4-0 win over Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday had put the pressure on Real to respond.

Villarreal twice took the lead only for Ronaldo to pull Real back into the game with his 20th and 21st league goals of the season to cancel out goals from Ruben Cani, after six minutes, and Marco Ruben in the 17th.

In the second half, Ronaldo again took centre stage putting Real ahead in the 78th minute after a mistake from goalkeeper Diego Lopez before Brazilian substitute Kaka celebrated his return to fitness with his first league goal of the season minutes later.

Real now turn their attention to Thursday's Kings Cup quarter-final first leg clash against city rivals Atletico Madrid at the Bernabeu.

Meanwhile,u00a0 the yellow submarines, now 11 points behind Real in third, face Sevilla in their last eight cup clash on Wednesday.