Real Madrid look to stretch the gap to four points from Villarreal and Barcelona against Hercules at the Jose Rico Perez stadium in La Liga.

The final whistle goes at the Jose Rico Perez, and Real prevail 3-1 courtesy of a Cristiano Ronaldo brace and an Angel di Maria strike to cancel out David Trezeguet's opener! Thanks for joining us.

Marcelo clashes with Rufete, who takes a knock in the stomach which winds him. Real break through Di Maria, but to no avail.

Four minutes will be added at the end of this second half with Real pressing for a third.

Ronaldo should have scored a third! The Portugese flies forward and rounds Calatayud, but he cannot apply the finish with the goal gaping!

Hercules go straight back on the attack, but surely Real have the three points in the bag now?!

GOAL!!!!! RONALDO DOUBLES HIS TALLY! Again, it is Benzema who provides the assist from the right byline, and Ronaldo beats Calatayud with the aid of a deflection off the diving Noe Pamarot!

Raul Albiol swiftly follows Arbeloa on to the field as Gonzalo Higuain also makes way.

Arbeloa comes on to replace Mesut Ozil now as Real look to shore up at the back.

GOAL!!!! RONALDO GRABS THE SECOND! What a move for Real, with Benzema in the thick of the action, combining superbly with Marcelo and having his initial effort saved, with Ronaldo tapping in the rebound from close range!

Portillo comes on to replace the injured Valdez, and that is the third and final change for Hercules.

It is Hercules suddenly looking the more likely to force a breakthrough as the hosts win two successive corners, with Casillas having to make a fine save amid a crowd of bodies.

Carvalho is booked for hauling down Gomes in the Real half, but Hercules cannot do anything with the resulting set piece.

Alonso has a hopeful dig from range, but it is a fairly tame effort which Calatayud saves comfortably.

Pepe is the man to make way for Benzema, and the Frenchman jogs on with the onus on him to make an impact!

Higuain unleashes a fierce effort from the edge of the Hercules box, but it drifts narrowly wide.

Cortes gets down the right at pace, but he cannot provide a telling cross on this occasion.

Trezeguet departs to a standing ovation after his goal in the third minute, and Rufete comes on in his place.

Real are enjoying a good amount of the possession now, and Di Maria goes down in the box very optimistically looking for a penalty!

Aguilar is injured and that will most probably be the last part he plays in this match - what a shame!

Alonso is rightly booked for a crunching high challenge on Aguilar, and there is absolutely no complaints about that!