Ronaldo gets to 50 but Barca tighten title grip

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 49th and 50th goals in all competitions this season as Real Madrid won 3-0 at Athletic Bilbao

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 49th and 50th goals in all competitions this season as Real Madrid won 3-0 at Athletic Bilbao on Sunday,while Barcelona didn8217;t need Lionel Messi to brush aside Real Zaragoza 3-0 and ease closer to the Spanish league title.

Ronaldo opened with a dipping free kick two minutes in and scored again in the 69th,before passing for Gonzalo Higuain to net a third in the 76th.

Barcelona8217;s own convincing victory led by a double from 21-year-old forward Cristian Tello kept it 13 points clear of Madrid with seven rounds to go.

Elsewhere,Radamel Falcao scored twice to lead Atletico Madrid8217;s 5-0 rout of Granada as it remained three points behind Madrid in third place,while Real Sociedad cemented its hold on fourth place and the last Champions League spot by winning 2-0 at Rayo Vallecano.

Ronaldo struck a perfect free kick to put Madrid ahead at San Mames Stadium. Known for his blistering long-range blasts,Ronaldo instead used an exquisite bending effort to swerve the ball over the barrier and land it beyond the reach of goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz. Bilbao responded well,with Madrid goalkeeper Diego Lopez denying Markel Susaeta8217;s and Ander Herrera8217;s shots. Ronaldos 69th minute strike would seal the deal.

The Portugal forward fought off Ramalho to thump home Xabi Alonso8217;s free kick with a stinging header. Ronaldo has scored 31 league goals 12 fewer than Messi,who has scored 57 in all competitions. Ronaldo capped his outstanding night by beating the offside trap with a pass that Higuain drove home.

Messi was left out of Barcelona8217;s squad as he recovers from a right hamstring injury that he played through as a substitute to help Barcelona rally against Paris Saint-Germain and reach the Champions League semifinals earlier this week.

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The Argentina forward wasn8217;t the only Barcelona player to take the day off. It played with only five of its regular starters. Even with a side full of reserves,Barcelona still had more than enough quality,above all in the playmaking provided by Thiago Alcantara,to waltz around the relegation-threatened Zaragoza.

Diego Costa,Raul Garcia and Filipe Luis netted Atletico8217;s other goals in a game featuring a standout performance by midfielder Jorge Koke Resurrecion,who set up three goals with expertly placed free kicks. Sociedad striker Imanol Agirretxe scored two early goals to give the Basque side its win at Rayo.