Gonzalo Higuain hit a hat-trick as Real Madrid provided the ideal response to crashing out of the Champions League.

Cristiano Ronaldo was also on target for Madrid as they swept past Real Valladolid to stay level on points with Barcelona at the top of La Liga.

Raul Albiol's own goal, which briefly reduced the arrears to 3-1, was all the home side could muster.

Wednesday night's 1-1 draw with Lyon at the Bernabeu, which gave the French side a 2-1 aggregate win in their Champions League last-16 tie, had called into question the position of coach Manuel Pellegrini.

But, with Barca having piled the pressure on even more with a 3-0 win over Valencia earlier in the evening, his side never looked in danger of suffering further embarrassment against a side battling desperately against relegation.

Valladolid did start brightly and Haris Medunjanin saw a weak shot blocked by Albiol before Carlos Lazaro fired wide of the left post from inside the area.

The visitors had goalkeeper Justo Villar to thank for keeping them on level terms in the 22nd minute, though, with a fine double save.

Villar parried Sergio Ramos' header from Rafael van der Vaart's left-footed free-kick from the left and then palmed away the follow-up shot from the same player.

But he could do nothing to prevent Madrid from taking the lead in the 27th minute.

Ronaldo's 30-yard free-kick was well struck but the deflection it took off the top of the wall was crucial in taking it away from Villar and into the top corner.

Nivaldo headed wide from Pele's free-kick at the other end before another Pele set piece almost caught out Iker Casillas.

The on-loan Porto man's effort bounced awkwardly in front of the Spain goalkeeper, who parried it unconvincingly against the post and Madrid scrambled the ball clear.

Van der Vaart almost made it two when Higuain's pull-back found him in space on the left edge of the box.

The Dutchman had time to set himself and curled an effort towards the near top corner but Villar clawed it away.

Nivaldo was then lucky to escape punishment after appearing to stamp on Ronaldo's shin after a tackle on the Portugal forward, but Madrid made it two on the stroke of half-time.

Van der Vaart swung in a free-kick from the left and Higuain side-footed home first time from around the six-yard line.

And the Argentinian made it three seven minutes after the break, running on to a header from Ronaldo and calmly stroking his finish past Villar and into the bottom right corner.

Valladolid were gifted a possible way back into the match in the 58th minute when Casillas made a save only for the ball to bounce off the legs of defender Albiol and back into the net.

The lifeline lasted just seven minutes, however.

A minute after Villar had brilliantly saved Ronaldo's shot with his feet, the former Manchester United player received a shot corner from Van der Vaart and fired in a cross-shot which Higuain turned in at the far post to complete his hat-trick.

Pele came agonisingly close to a second for Valladolid, his curling right-footed free-kick in the 90th minute thumping against the inside of the left post with Casillas motionless, but by then Madrid were home and dry.