Match ends, Real Madrid 7, FC Sevilla 3.
Real MadridReal Madrid7SevillaSevilla3
Gareth Bale scored twice as Real Madrid claimed an emphatic 7-3 win over 10-man Sevilla in La Liga.
The Wales international, making his first start at the Bernabeu, opened the scoring with a smart finish, before adding a second soon after.
Bale, 24, also provided two assists as Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick, while Karim Benzema grabbed two goals.
Ivan Rakitic scored two and Carlos Bacca got one for Sevilla, who had Stephane Mbia sent off.
Real are six points behind leaders Barcelona after the win and two off second-placed Atletico.
The two goals took Bale's total for Real Madrid to three goals in six games since his £85m move from Tottenham on 1 September.
It was the ideal response to a low-key performance by Bale in the 2-1 El Clasico defeat by Barcelona on Saturday, when he was making only his second start of an injury-hit season.
An added boost for manager Carlo Ancelotti was that Bale completed 90 minutes for the first time since joining Real.
His first goal against Sevilla was one of quality as he powerfully swept the ball into the top corner of the net after being set up by Benzema.
Bale doubled Real's lead just before the half hour mark when his free-kick took a huge deflection off the Sevilla wall to loop into the net.
The hosts then looked to be in control when Ronaldo confidently dispatched a penalty after Isco was brought down inside the area.
But Sevilla fought back before the break as Sergio Ramos was judged to have pushed Diogo Figueiras in the box and Rakitic scored the spot-kick.
Bacca then rolled the ball into the net from Vitolo's pass to pull the visitors to within one goal of Real.
A sweeping counter by the hosts after the break made it 4-2 when Benzema side-footed in from a pass by Bale, who then provided the assist for Ronaldo to convert from a similar position.
Rakitic curled in a third for Sevilla but victory was assured for Real when Ronaldo completed his hat-trick with a deflected effort.
A difficult match got worse for the visitors 15 minutes from full-time when Mbia earned his second yellow card of the game for his part in a clash with Luka Modric.
The man disadvantage left a tired Sevilla side exposed and Real pushed forward in the closing stages looking for more goals.
Their seventh arrived 10 minutes from the end of the game when Benzema headed in Marcelo's cross.
Line-ups
Real Madrid
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 25López
- 17ArbeloaBooked at 65mins
- 12Marcelo
- 6KhediraBooked at 66minsSubstituted forDi Maríaat 82'minutes
- 2Varane
- 4RamosBooked at 37mins
- 11Bale
- 24IllarramendiSubstituted forAlonsoat 64'minutes
- 9Benzema
- 23IscoSubstituted forModricat 71'minutes
- 7Cristiano Ronaldo
Substitutes
- 1Casillas
- 3Pepe
- 14Alonso
- 15Carvajal
- 19Modric
- 21Morata
- 22Di María
Sevilla
Formation 5-4-1
- 13Beto
- 5Figueiras
- 32MorenoBooked at 25mins
- 3Navarro Corbacho
- 6Carriço
- 21Pareja
- 17Samperio BustaraSubstituted forPerottiat 62'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 22MbiaBooked at 76mins
- 9BaccaSubstituted forGameiroat 62'minutes
- 11Rakitic
- 20Machín PérezSubstituted forReyesat 83'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Varas Herrera
- 4Torres Ruiz
- 10Perotti
- 12Iborra
- 18Gameiro
- 19Reyes
- 23Andújar Moreno
- Referee:
- José Antonio Teixeira Vitienes
- Attendance:
- 65,000
Match Stats
Home TeamReal MadridAway TeamSevilla
- Possession
- Home61%
- Away39%
- Shots
- Home18
- Away16
- Shots on Target
- Home10
- Away6
- Corners
- Home1
- Away1
- Fouls
- Home17
- Away15
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Real Madrid 7, FC Sevilla 3.
Post update
Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Beto.
Post update
Attempt saved. Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Booking
Nicolás Pareja (FC Sevilla) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Luka Modric (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Daniel Carriço (FC Sevilla).
Post update
Attempt missed. Marcelo (Real Madrid) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Xabi Alonso.
Post update
Foul by Karim Benzema (Real Madrid).
Post update
Ivan Rakitic (FC Sevilla) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Ángel Di María (Real Madrid) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Xabi Alonso.
Post update
Marcelo (Real Madrid) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by Diogo Figueiras (FC Sevilla).
Post update
Attempt missed. Kevin Gameiro (FC Sevilla) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by José Antonio Reyes.
Substitution
Substitution, FC Sevilla. José Antonio Reyes replaces Vitolo.
Substitution
Substitution, Real Madrid. Ángel Di María replaces Sami Khedira.
Post update
Foul by Luka Modric (Real Madrid).
Post update
Vitolo (FC Sevilla) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Attempt missed. Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
Goal!
Goal! Real Madrid 7, FC Sevilla 3. Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) header from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Marcelo with a cross.
