Real Madrid 3-0 Celta Vigo: Hat-trick hero Cristiano Ronaldo nets 200th La Liga goal to extend record winning run to 18 games

Cristiano Ronaldo brought the house down with another one-man show at the Santiago Bernabeu and there was even some first-half theatre as he dived for a penalty, which of course he converted in Real’s 3-0 win over Celta. The Real Madrid striker has now scored 200 league goals in 178 games; has netted more hat-tricks, 23 in the league, than any player in La Liga history; and is on a run of scoring in his last 17 home league matches. He is now scoring at a rate nearly two goals a game in the league – 23 in 13 matches. It would be churlish to dwell to long on the nature of the first goal but a dive is a dive even when it’s Ronaldo.

Full-back Jonny Castro applied the slightest of touches to Ronaldo’s back as they both chased a Marcelo cross. There was no push from the defender but as the ball went beyond Ronaldo he dropped to the turf and referee Alberto Undiano pointed to the spot.The full-back was booked, as was forward Nolito, as Celta players surrounded the referee. Ronaldo coolly dispatched the spot-kick. It was his seventh penalty of the season. The only other player to score as many spot-kicks at this stage of the campaign was current Southampton manager Ronald Koeman in his Barcelona days. His first goal might have been unjust but it was only fair that Real went in at half time with the advantage having dominated the first 45 minutes. Celta Vigo had named the same team that beat Barcelona 1-0 a month ago but were under pressure from the start. Real should have taken the lead when Ronaldo headed goalwards, Celta Vigo keeper Sergio Alvarez pushed the ball out to Ramos, and he blasted wide from four yards out. Then Ronaldo had the ball taken off of his toe by full-back Jonny just as he was going to convert James Rodriguez’ cross and Gareth Bale joined the fun cutting in from the right but shooting straight at Alvarez. Ronaldo then bicycle-kicked onto the roof of the net with what would have been a sensational way to break the deadlock even by his standards. Alvarez pushed a Ronaldo shot around the post after the forward ran onto a long ball forward from Marcelo, and the keeper then held a shot from Rodriguez after he’d connected with a Ronaldo cross.