Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring before being forced off early in the second half with an injury as Real Madrid kept up the pressure on Primera Division leaders Barcelona with a comprehensive 5-0 win at Almeria.

Carlo Ancelotti's side made a bright start at the Estadio de los Juegos Mediterraneos, with Ronaldo needing less than three minutes to break the deadlock.

There remained only one goal in it until after the hour mark, but then the floodgates opened and further strikes from Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale, Isco and Alvaro Morata sealed the rout, with the only worry for the capital club the fact Ronaldo had to come off at the start of the second half due to injury.

Almeria, who headed into the game in the relegation zone but on a run of three straight wins, brought in Jose Antonio Verza and Suso for Marcos Tebar and Fernando Soriano.

Real showed three changes from the side which thrashed Real Sociedad 5-1 last time out, with Isco, Asier Illarramendi and Sergio Ramos starting in place of Luka Modric, Sami Khedira and Raphael Varane.

Ancelotti's side, having seen arch rivals Barca consolidate top spot with a 4-0 win over Granada in the early kick-off to move provisionally nine points clear, were out of the blocks quickly in Andalusia.