Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Real Madrid opened up a 3-0 lead over Deportivo La Coruna by half time of their La Liga clash this afternoon.

The hosts were almost gifted an early goal when a slip from Marcelo let Luis Farina in, but Toni Kroos got back to clear the danger.

German Lux came under pressure in the Deportivo goal when Ronaldo played the ball in for Karim Benzema, but the French international hit his shot straight at the keeper.

The visitors started to dominate possession, and broke the deadlock with just under half-an-hour played when Alvaro Arbeloa crossed the ball in for Ronaldo to head in at the near post.

Lux denied Benzema again just a couple of minutes later to stop Real doubling their advantage, parrying the striker's powerful effort from just outside the box.

The Madrid side kept pressing though, and added a second shortly before the break when James Rodriguez hammered the ball in from 20 yards out for his first goal since his £63m switch from Monaco.

Ronaldo was gifted a second a couple of minutes before half time when Lux came off his line to make a clearance, but the ball fell to the Portuguese, who drilled it in low into an empty net from 30 yards out.