Real Madrid’s ‘BBC’ strikeforce put them level on points with Barcelona and Atletico Madrid at the top of the table with a first half demolition of bottom side Betis.

The ‘Bale, Benzema, Cristiano’ combination was too much for the former team of new West Brom coach Pepe Mel and the home fans were singing his name in a wretched first half for his replacement Juan Garrido whose team were eventually beaten 5-0.

Ronaldo put Madrid 1-0 up with a thunderous shot from the edge of the area. Betis keeper Stephan Andersen could not be blamed for remaining rooted to the spot as the ball flew past him.

He had less justification for not diving shortly after when Gareth Bale bent a free-kick over the wall and into the back of his net for 2-0.

And just before half time the brilliant Luka Modric who had orchestrated Betis’ destruction fed Karim Benzema and he dispatched goal number three — his 100th in a Madrid shirt.

Carlo Ancelotti praised the Croatian midfielder after the game, saying: ‘We played to a very high tempo and created lots of chances to score. The help from the midfielders was vital especially the performance of Modric. Once we scored the first goal it became a different game.’

It was Ancelotti’s 500th win as a coach in 878 games in charge. It could be Garrido’s last for Betis. Having drawn one and lost five since taking over from Mel he could get the push BEFORE the former Betis manager takes charge of his first game for the Baggies.

Betis had made a spirited start taking just under 20 seconds to kick Ronaldo up in the air and concede the game’s first foul but he also wasted no time in putting Real ahead with a run and shot from 30 yards out after just 11 minutes.

Bale made it 2-0 on 25 minutes. His biggest problem this season has been making it on to the pitch — he had played just 51% of minutes possible ahead of this game.

Once on the pitch, however, he has been worth every euro and when Madrid were awarded a free-kick to the left of Andersen’s goal Ronaldo stepped aside and Bale buried his second set-piece goal since joining in the summer.

Ramos was booked for flying into a challenge on Baptistao. The referee hadn’t given it but with 50,000 Betis fans screaming for justice the linesman raised his flag.

Ramos got the ball and then the man and had perhaps paid for being a former Sevilla player as much as for the challenge. A Ronaldo dribble then tied Javi Chica in knots but as he rolled the ball across the face of the six-yard box there was no one on hand to finish. The Balon d’Or winner was tormenting the home side.

Bale received some chest high stud-marks after a late challenge from Betis centre-back Paulao as the home side were frustrated by their failure to cope with Madrid and just before half time they were 3-0 down with Modric the architect and Benzema on hand to provide the finishing touch.

Angry Betis fans turned their attention and protests to the directors box in the second half and soon their team were 4-0 down when the home side failed to clear a corner any further than Di Maria who connected with it from 35 yards out and found Andersen’s bottom corner.

And although Real Madrid barely got out of first gear in the last ten minutes they still had enough to get a fifth. Marcelo crossed from the left, Ronaldo acrobatically bicycle-kicked the ball back across the face of the six-yard box and substitute Alvaro Morata poked it home.

Barcelona and Atletico Madrid both play on Sunday and can move clear of Real Madrid once more but this was still a telling victory for Ancelotti’s side. Last season Madrid lost 1-0 to Betis in November and Jose Mourinho gave up on the title. This year they are very much in the race.

—Daily Mail