Real Madrid kept the pressure on La Liga leaders Barcelona by thrashing Granada 9-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The hosts were dominant from the start as Karim Benzema volleyed at goalkeeper Oier Olazabal before Gareth Bale failed to capitalise on some poor defending.

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However, Granada fired a warning shot on 14 minutes when Robert Ibanez flashed an effort narrowly wide of the post after some confusion at the back for Madrid.

The deadlock was broken with 25 minutes played as Bale was set free by Toni Kroos before rounding Oier to slot in.

Madrid doubled their advantage just five minutes later thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo, who curled the ball into the bottom corner following an incisive pass from the returning James Rodriguez.

Carlo Ancelotti's side continued to prove too much for Granada, and Ronaldo scored his second goal of the game on 36 minutes when he smashed home from close range after Oier had failed to deal with a Marcelo cross.

The Portuguese then bagged his hat-trick seven minutes before the half-time whistle as his powerful 25-yard strike found its way past the goalkeeper and into the far corner.

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Granada came close to pulling a goal back with a minute left to play in the half, but Youssef El-Arabi's fierce shot came back off the crossbar.

It took Madrid just seven minutes after the restart to make it 5-0 as Benzema lashed the ball into the back of the net after controlling a corner on his chest inside the box.

Ronaldo scored for a fourth time two minutes later when he headed in at the back post, while Madrid recorded their third goal in four second-half minutes thanks to a deflected effort from Benzema.

The home side carved out further chances for Ronaldo and substitute Javier Hernandez, but it was Granada who scored next as Ibanez raced beyond the Madrid defence before calmly converting past Iker Casillas on 71 minutes.

Despite being rewarded for their efforts, the away side shipped an eighth goal of the afternoon during the final 10 minutes when Diego Mainz put the ball into his own net, before Ronaldo took his personal tally to five with a header from Luka Modric's free kick.