Van Nistelrooy hits four for Real

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MADRID, Spain -- Ruud van Nistelrooy scored all Real Madrid's goals in a 4-1 win at Osasuna in Spain's Primera Liga on Sunday. He completed a first-half hat-trick and added the fourth six minutes from time as Real moved into third place in the table.

The Dutchman more than adequately made up for the absence of unfit Ronaldo, putting Real 3-0 up at the break with goals after 12, 27 and 45 minutes.

Barcelona return to the top with a 3-1 win over Real Zaragoza, Ronaldinho scoring twice.

Van Nistelrooy's opener came after Osasuna goalkeeper Ricardo Lopez saved from Robinho. Van Nistelrooy pounced to fire in the rebound.

Fifteen minutes later he again profited from Robinho's contribution, scoring after an attempted clearance bounced off the Brazilian.

After a 43rd minute hold-up, when Real goalkeeper Iker Casillas was hit by a lighter thrown from the crowd, Van Nistelrooy completed his treble in the 45th minute by firing in an angled low shot from the edge of the area.

Valdo Lopes pulled a goal back with a 64th minute header from a corner but Van Nistelrooy struck again six minutes from the end after taking a pass from Emerson.

Three minutes earlier Van Nistelrooy's former Manchester United colleague David Beckham had been brought on as a substitute

Van Nistelrooy has now scored eight goals this season and his haul included a hat-trick against Levante on September 10.

Ronaldinho double

Ronaldinho scored twice as Barcelona came from behind to defeat Zaragoza 3-1, in a game in which both sides had a man sent off.

Gabrfiel Milito sidefooted Zaragoza into a 15th minute lead against the run of play from a corner, but Ronaldinho headed home Zambrotta's flag kick 15 minutes later.

Thiago Motta of Barcelona was sent off after a 73rd minute clash with Diego Milito, leaving Barca's players incensed, but four minutes later Gabriel Milito was shown the red card after pushing Javier Saviola to the ground.

With four minutes left Ronaldinho curled home a superb 30-yard free kick and in stoppage time he was close to a hat-trick when another free kick struck the bar.

Saviola swooped to head in Barcelona's third.

Barca finished the game with a fresh worry because Lionel Messi was taken off with a suspected broken foot to add to their injury woes.

Leaders Sevilla were held to a goalless draw at Racing Santander and missed the chance to pull clear at the top.

The UEFA Cup holders were second best throughout the match, with goalkeeper Andres Palop by far their busiest player as he managed to keep Serbian striker Nikola Zigic and the mercurial Pedro Munitis at bay.

In the day's other games, Capi scored a last-gasp winner for Real Betis in their 2-1 win at home over Levante and Recreativo Huelva beat an out-of-sorts Celta Vigo 2-1 away.

Basement side Real Sociedad drew 1-1 with Espanyol while the team above them, Gimnastic, ended a run of seven straight defeats in the league and cup to draw 0-0 with Deportivo Coruna.

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