MADRID - Imperious Real Madrid regained top spot in the Spanish Liga on Saturday with a 5-1 destruction of midtable Rayo Vallecano, their eight straight league win.
Gareth Bale celebrated his return to the team after injury with the first goal. Sergio Ramos made it 2-0 before Alberto Bueno pulled a goal back for Rayo. Toni Kroos - with his first goal for Los Blancos - and Karim Benzema and league top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo completed the rout.
Carlo Ancelotti's team have banged in 42 goals in 11 games, a new Spanish record at this stage of the season.
"We worked hard and well tonight, which has become our custom recently," a delighted Ancelotti said.
"In the first half we did not press them hard enough out on the wings, but that improved in the second half ... I am very happy with this."
Keylor Navas - who made a rare appearance in goal instead of Real captain Iker Casillas - said: "We have got some great players, and they can score goals at any time.
"We are playing extremely well at the moment, things are wonderful."
Meanwhile, Rayo president Martin Presas complained about the decisions of the referee: "All the important decisions went against us. If they had not, it would have been a very different kind of match.
"Real were lucky in everything tonight."
Real now have 27 points which is two more than Barcelona, who won 2-1 earlier Saturday at Almeria on late goals from Neymar and Jordi Alba.
Barcelona needed late goals from Neymar and Jordi Alba to win 2-1 at Almeria on Saturday, a result which put them top of La Liga - albeit for just a few hours.
Barca are one point above Real Madrid, who will go back to the top if they score their eight straight win later Saturday, at home to midtable Rayo Vallecano.
"The best thing today was the result ... Sometimes you have to win despite playing badly," Barca coach Luis Enrique said.
"It was really difficult for us to open up the Almeria defence. We didn't play well, but we did have a good attitude ... There are several things we need to improve on."
Luis Enrique raised eyebrows by leaving Dani Alves, Gerard Pique, Xavi, Luis Suarez and Neymar out of his starting lineup, and was rewarded with a flat, uninspired first-half display.
Lionel Messi headed against the crossbar in what was Barca's only real chance in a dull first-half.
Thievy Bifouma gave Almeria a shock lead in the 37th minute after a spectacular 60-metre dash, taking advantage of some sloppy defending from Barca.
A third straight defeat - after losses against Real and Celta Vigo - would have left Barca in a profound crisis.
Luis Enrique wisely brought on Suarez and Neymar at half-time, and the two South Americans linked up for Neymar to make it 1-1 in the 73rd minute, with his 10th league goal.
Just before, Suarez - still to score his first goal for Barca - hit the Almeria crossbar, then Messi did so again, for the second time.
Eight minutes from time, with Almeria desperate for the final whistle, Suarez centred for left-back Jordi Alba to score the winner, with a miss hit volley.
"We had to work really hard for this result. They were better than us in the first half," a relieved Alba said.
"We really went for them in the second half ... Luis (Suarez) turned the game around for us. He has adapted really well to the team."
The late defeat left Almeria 14th. Their veteran midfielder Fernando Soriano said: "This was a very cruel game for us, after all our hard work. But this sometimes happens in football.
"They have many excellent players, and in the end their individual quality emerged."
Barca are two points above Valencia and Atletico Madrid, who share third place.
Valencia host Athletic Bilbao Sunday while Atletico Madrid visit troubled Real Sociedad.
Saturday also saw goalless draws between Getafe and Elche and between Celta Vigo and Granada as well as a late 2-1 win for Malaga over Eibar, on goals from Juanmi and Nordin Amrabat.