Cristiano Ronaldo notched his second successive hat-trick at the Bernabeu as Real Sociedad became the latest side to be put to the sword by Real Madrid's expensively-assembled forward line in a 5-1 mauling.
Ronaldo struck three in the 7-3 victory over Sevilla last week and the Portugal superstar repeated the feat against Sociedad with strikes in the 12th, 27th and 76th minutes to take his league tally to 16 for the campaign.
The 28-year-old also set up Madrid's second for Karim Benzema in the 18th minute while Gareth Bale's pass helped Sami Khedira make it 4-0 in the 36th minute.
The attacking trident of Ronaldo, Benzema and Bale, who cost a
combined total of around £200million, have now notched 16 of
the 17 goals Madrid have scored in their last four matches - the
other being Khedira's strike - while they also
boast a host of assists between them.
However, while the Spanish giants' strikeforce have been in stunning form, their defence was breached yet again as Sociedad pulled a 61st-minute goal back through Antoine Griezmann.
Carlo Ancelotti's men have only kept three clean sheets in 17 competitive matches this season.
That Griezmann strike mattered little though and the win sees Madrid move to within three points of leaders Barcelona and two points of second-placed Atletico Madrid, although the top two still have to play this weekend.
Ronaldo was unlucky not to open the scoring in the seventh minute when his 25-yard strike hit the bar, but he did not have to wait much longer to celebrate his first as he pulled down Benzema's deep cross before drilling a shot passed Claudio Bravo from a tight angle.
Ronaldo then returned the favour six minutes later with a pull-back to Benzema that the France international side-footed past Bravo to make it 2-0.
It was 3-0 nine minutes later when Ronaldo won a penalty when his low shot went through Markel Bergara's legs and hit the defender's trailing arm. It was tough on Bergara but Ronaldo was not about to waste the chance as he dinked home his second from the spot.
The game was as good as over for Sociedad at that point, but the agony was not and Bale set up Khedira to rifle home Madrid's fourth of the first half from the edge of the box.
Madrid continued to push for more goals but it was the visitors who netted next when Griezmann neatly lobbed home a through-ball from Carlos Vela.
That was as good as it got for Sociedad though, and Ronaldo completed the scoring - and yet another hat-trick - with a 25-yard free-kick.
