( CNN ) -- A Karim Benzema brace helped Real Madrid to a 3-0 win over Sevilla on Sunday to edge Jose Mourinho 's side one step closer to a first La Liga title in four seasons . The French striker 's goals early in the second half added to Cristiano Ronaldo 's 19th minute strike to maintain their seven-point lead at the top of the table with three games remaining . It was the perfect tonic for Real after they were knocked out of the Champions League on penalties by Bayern Munich on Wednesday . `` It was an important win and the team deserves to be champions as the players have shown their mentality and character , '' said Aitor Karanka , Real Madrid 's assistant coach . `` We will go out looking to win games even when we are the champions , if that happens , as we only have one plan . It will be fantastic to win the league and it is the most important objective at the moment . '' Barcelona , who are also coming to terms with a Champions League exit and the impending departure of coach Pep Guardiola , were runaway winners on Saturday beating Rayo Vallecano 7-0 . Puyol backs Vilanova . Lionel Messi opened the scoring in the 16th minute which was followed by an own goal by Roberto Correa ten minutes later . Messi turned provider for Barca 's third laying on the ball for Seydou Keita to fire a low shot past Rayo keeper David Cobeno six minutes before the break . Pedro fired in a rebound after Messi headed against the bar at the start of the second half and Thiago scored a fifth 11 minutes from the end . Pedro bagged a second three minutes from time but it was left to Lionel Messi to complete the rout as he scored his second in the 90th minute . Earlier , sixth-placed Atletico Madrid scored in the third minute of injury time to salvage a 2-2 draw at Real Betis , but the result does little to enhance the Europa League finalists ' chances of gaining a Champions League spot next season . Malaga , on the other hand did , beating third place Valencia 1-0 to move into fourth and level on 55 points with Unai Emery 's side . Seventh-placed Athletic Bilbao also lost on Saturday going down 2-0 at second-from-bottom Real Zaragoza .
Goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema earn Real Madrid a 3-0 win against Sevilla in the Bernabeu . Barcelona rout Rayo Vallecano 7-0 to keep slim hopes of retaining title alive . TL;DR Lionel Messi scores twice as Argentina beat Colombia 2-0 at World Cup.