GARETH BALE scored four times as Real Madrid came from behind to beat nine-man Rayo Vallecano 10-2 in a wild game at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday to close the gap on La Liga leader Barcelona and Atletico Madrid to two points.

    Atletico missed the chance to move clear at the top on their own as they had captain Gabi sent-off in a 1-0 defeat at Malaga.

    Barca has a game in hand as the side wasn’t in La Liga action at the weekend after sealing the Club World Cup with a 3-0 win over River Plate in Japan earlier in the day.

    It is the first time in 55 years that a team has scored 10 goals in a La Liga game, however, the Madrid fans still voiced their disapproval towards under fire coach Rafael Benitez after Real found themselves 2-1 down inside 12 minutes.

    Red cards inside half an hour for Tito and Raul Baena opened the floodgates, though, as a double from Cristiano Ronaldo and a hat trick for Karim Benzema added to Bale’s most prolific day in three years as a Madrid player.

    “We conceded the goals early, but then the team reacted,” said Benitez.

    “I am not going to judge the decisions of the referee, but from the sending-off the team did what it had to do, try to play well and score goals.”

    Madrid president Florentino Perez had restated his support for Benitez in midweek after rumors suggested he was one defeat away from the sack after losing 1-0 at Villarreal last weekend.

    Real had won their previous 14 meetings against their humble rivals from across Madrid and looked well set for another routine afternoon when Bale teed up Danilo for the opener after just three minutes.

    Yet, Madrid’s defensive deficiencies in recent weeks were exposed again when Antonio Amaya rose highest to head home Roberto Trashorras’s corner.

    With the Madrid fans on the verge of full revolt, the hosts were handed a huge break when Tito needlessly lunged in on Toni Kroos and was rightly shown a straight red card.

    (SD-Agencies)