Promoted Hercules have already beaten Barcelona and Sevilla this season as well as holding Villarreal to a draw, and they were on course to add Madrid to that list after taking a third-minute lead through David Trezeguet.

However, Madrid stormed back after half-time to take the points, with Ronaldo once again to the fore.

The world's most expensive player, who struck four times in last weekend's 6-1 victory over Racing Santander, took his league tally to 11 for the season with two goals in the last eight minutes to seal the victory after Angel Di Maria had struck a 52nd-minute equaliser.

Barcelona produced the performance of their season so far to beat Sevilla 5-0 at the Nou Camp.

Just four minutes in, Lionel Messi opened the scoring as Pedro's shot was palmed into his path by the goalkeeper. David Villa, who has so far struggled for goals since his big-money move in the summer, made it 2-0 as he cut inside with typical panache - this time from the right - before bending home a beautiful left-footed shot.

Sevilla's hopes were effectively ended by a red card for Konko just before the break, after two bookings.

But Barca were ruthless, Dani Alves capitalising on a sloppy backpass to lift a third into the net, Messi adding a cool fourth and Villa joining him on two goals with a late Barca fifth.

Maurizio Lanzaro scored at both ends as bottom club Real Zaragoza held high-flying Valencia to a creditable 1-1 draw at the Mestalla despite being reduced to 10 men for the fourth successive league game,

Lanzaro gave winless Zaragoza the lead with a superb early finish, but went from hero to villain just before half-time when he glanced the ball over his own goalkeeper Antonio Doblas and into the net.

Zaragoza had to play out the final 23 minutes with 10 men after picking up yet another red card, Ander Herrera the man given his marching orders today.