MADRID: Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in the second half as Real Madrid moved 13 points clear of Barcelona – temporarily at least – in the Spanish league with a 3-2 win away to Betis. Ronaldo, who is La Liga’s 32-goal top scorer, had never scored against Betis previously.

Betis took an early lead through Jorge Molina before Madrid hit back through Gonzalo Higuain and Ronaldo. Jefferson Montero levelled for the Seville club in the 55th minute before  Ronaldo struck decisively  17 minutes from time.

This was an 11th successive league win for Jose Mourinho’s men and the 10th successive away win, a Spanish league single-season record. Madrid have scored 34 goals in those victories and conceded only eight. Next target for Madrid is the club’s own record of 15 successive league victories.

Barcelona are clear favourites, later today, to beat a Racing Santander side with a goalkeeper in Mario who is playing just his fourth league game and a new coach, Alvaro Cervera, who was ‘hijacked’ from Huelva only on Friday evening.

In 2010 Barcelona achieved 10 away league wins in a row but across the end of one season and start of another.