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PHOTOS: Ronaldo dominates European football weekend with five goals

April 06, 2015 10:30 IST

Cristiano Ronaldo bagged his first five-goal haul in Real Madrid's 9-1 hammering of Granada while title-chasing Bayern Munich and Chelsea won again in Germany and England.

Also, Arsenal shot out Liverpool with a 4-1 win on Saturday.

Here is a summary of the weekend of football played across Europe.

SPAIN

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates his fifth goal with teammate Marcelo (left) during their La Liga match against Granada at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on Sunday 

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates his fifth goal with teammate Marcelo (left) during their La Liga match against Granada at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on Sunday. Photograph: Juan Medina/Reuters

Cristiano Ronaldo hit his quickest hat-trick on the way to netting five in Real Madrid's 9-1 drubbing of Granada but there was no change at the top as leaders Barcelona secured a 1-0 win at Celta Vigo.

Portugal captain Ronaldo struck three times in eight minutes in the first half and added two headers after the break to help fire Real to their biggest victory in almost half a century.

Ronaldo's five goals took his tally in La Liga this season to 36, four ahead of Barca forward Lionel Messi, who was unable to get on the scoresheet at Celta, where Jeremy Mathieu headed the winner in the 73rd minute.

ENGLAND

Olivier Giroud of Arsenal (right) celebrates with teammates after scoring against Liverpool during the Barclays Premier League match at Emirates Stadium on Saturday

Olivier Giroud of Arsenal (right) celebrates with teammates after scoring against Liverpool during the Barclays Premier League match at Emirates Stadium on Saturday. Photograph: Paul Gilham/Getty Images

Chelsea were stunned by a Charlie Adam wonder goal but recovered to beat Stoke City 2-1 and extend their Premier League lead to seven points.

Adam's 60-metre monster shot cancelled out Eden Hazard's penalty but Loic Remy netted the winner to leave Chelsea on 70 points from 30 games with Arsenal on 63 having played a game more and Manchester United on 62.

Arsenal crushed Liverpool 4-1 at the Emirates to leave Liverpool's top-four hopes hanging by a thread.

United beat Aston Villa 3-1 with Ander Herrera scoring twice, either side of a Wayne Rooney special. Manchester City can return to second place if they win at Crystal Palace on Monday.

Jermain Defoe made himself an instant Sunderland hero with a sensational volleyed goal to seal a vital 1-0 win over North East rivals Newcastle United in the Premier League on Sunday.

GERMANY

Thiago Alcantara (right) of Bayern Munich is challenged by Marco Reus (left) of Dortmund during their Bundesliga match at Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund on Saturday

Thiago Alcantara (right) of Bayern Munich is challenged by Marco Reus (left) of Dortmund during their Bundesliga match at Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund on Saturday. Photograph: Sascha Steinbach/Getty Images For MAN

Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich shook off a string of injury absences to snatch a 1-0 victory at Borussia Dortmund with Robert Lewandowski scoring the winner on his league return to the Signal Iduna Park.

Without Arjen Robben, Frank Ribery and David Alaba, Bayern relinquished possession but shut out the hosts to remain 10 points clear of VfL Wolfsburg, who beat bottom side VfB Stuttgart 3-1.

Borussia Moenchengladbach stayed a further seven points back in third after coming from a goal down to crush Hoffenheim 4-1 away with Patrick Herrmann scoring twice.

ITALY

Miralem Pjanic's goal gave second-placed AS Roma a 1-0 win over Napoli in Serie A, their first home victory for more than four months, and in-form Lazio in third eased to a 3-1 victory over lowly Cagliari.

Carlos Tevez scored a thunderous free kick to help leaders Juventus beat Empoli 2-0 to stay 14 points clear at the top.

FRANCE

Olympique Marseille's Andre-Pierre Gignac (left) celebrates with teammates after scoring against Paris St Germain during their French Ligue 1 match at the Velodrome stadium in Marseille on Sunday.

Olympique Marseille's Andre-Pierre Gignac (left) celebrates with teammates after scoring against Paris St Germain during their French Ligue 1 match at the Velodrome stadium in Marseille on Sunday. Photograph: Eric Gaillard/Reuters

Paris St Germain retained their Ligue 1 lead after beating bitter rivals Olympique de Marseille 3-2 at the Velodrome.

Andre-Pierre Gignac scored both OM's goals but PSG, who had equalised through Blaise Matuidi, wrapped it up after the break with a strike by Marquinhos and Jeremy Morel's own goal.

French champions PSG have 62 points with seven games left, one point ahead of Olympique Lyonnais who beat En Avant Guingamp 3-1 away on Saturday. OM are third on 57 points.

NETHERLANDS

Substitute Gevero Markiet snatched a late equaliser for Utrecht as they held second-placed Ajax Amsterdam to a 1-1 draw in the Dutch league that left PSV Eindhoven with a 10-point lead at the top.

PSV, 5-0 away winners against Twente Enschede, need to win two of their remaining five games to claim a first league title since 2008.

PORTUGAL

Leaders Benfica won 3-1 at home to Nacional while Sporting, in a distant third, were held 1-1 at Pacos de Ferreira.

Second-placed Porto, six points behind Benfica, host Estoril on Monday.

GREECE

Olympiakos Piraeus are four points away from winning a 42nd domestic title despite suffering a surprise 3-1 defeat at PAS Giannina.

Olympiakos hold an eight-point lead over second-placed Panathinaikos, who threw away a two-goal lead in a 2-2 home draw with Asteras Tripolis.

Five people were taken to hospital after a group attacked a television crew ahead of a match in Greece’s second tier in the latest wave of violence to hit football in the country.

Source: REUTERS
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