MADRID, May 3 (AFP): A Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick maintained Real Madrid�s La Liga title aspirations as they ended Sevilla�s 34-game unbeaten run at home with a 3-2 win.
Victory kept the European champions just two points behind Barcelona with three games to play after Luis Suarez scored his first hat-trick for the Catalans in a 8-0 humiliation of relegated Cordoba yesterday.
Sevilla �keeper Sergio Rico made an incredible save from point-blank range to prevent Ronaldo opening the scoring early on from Marcelo�s fine cross.
Iker Casillas then had to be quick off his line at the other end to prevent Aleix Vidal putting Sevilla in front.
However, the game swung massively in Madrid�s favour in the space of two minutes whilst Sevilla were down to 10 men as Grzegorz Krychowiak was off the field receiving treatment for a facial injury.
The World Player of the Year headed home expertly from Isco�s cross and then prodded in from Javier Hernandez�s flick-on moments later.
Sevilla were handed a route back into the game when Sergio Ramos upended Vidal inside the area in first-half stoppage time and Carlos Bacca converted from the penalty spot.
Ronaldo looked to have sealed the three points with a stunning header from Gareth Bale�s cross midway through the second-half.
However, Vicente Iborra reduced the deficit once more from as he swept home Vidal�s cross to set up a grandstand finish.