MADRID: Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Real Madrid trounced promoted Xerez 5-0 on Sunday to continue the big-spending club’s perfect start to the Spanish league season.

Madrid’s last four goals at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium arrived in a late 13-minute spell, with substitute Jose Maria “Guti” Gutierrez, Karim Benzema and Ruud van Nistelrooy also hitting the target. Benzema’s goal was his first in the league since his offseason move from Lyon.

In a late game, Valencia lost their perfect record when they were held 2-2 by a 10-man Sporting Gijon. Earlier, Fernando Llorente scored twice to help Athletic Bilbao beat Villarreal 3-2 and also maintain their winning start.

A rout looked likely when Madrid took less than a minute to open the scoring. Ronaldo collected the ball in a central position before drifting wide and finding the back of the net with an angled shot.

Ronaldo, who also scored twice in Madrid’s 5-2 win at Zurich in the Champions League on Tuesday, doubled his tally from Esteban Granero’s corner in the 75th minute. He has scored four league goals for Madrid since his world record move from Manchester United in the offseason. Guti struck the third goal in the 78th minute, with Benzema scoring his first league goal for Madrid three minutes later from Van Nistelrooy’s pass. Ruud Van Nistelrooy completed Madrid’s victory in the 88th, shooting through the legs of Xerez goalkeeper Renan Brito for his first league goal since last October.

Madrid captain Raul Gonzalez was making his 523rd league appearance for the club, equalling the record set by defender Manuel Sanchis in the 1980s and 90s.

Valencia trailed from the sixth minute at their Mestalla Stadium after Sporting striker David Barral cut in from the left and fired low past goalkeeper Miguel Angel Moya. In the 24th minute, David Villa equalised against the team where he began his career after Sporting goalkeeper Juan Pablo Colinas had parried David Silva’s shot.

Sporting’s situation worsened two minutes later when captain Michel Marcos was dismissed after receiving a second yellow card. Villa deftly curled a shot past Juan Pablo to give Valencia the lead on the hour, only for Sporting to reap the reward for a resolute display when Gregory Arnolin headed home in the 86th.

Also, it’s: Zaragoza 1, Valladolid 2; and Almeria 1, Getafe 0. After three games, Madrid have nine points and lead the league on goal difference from Barcelona and Bilbao. Mallorca and Valencia follow with seven points, one more than Sevilla.