Rayo Vallecano gave Real Madrid an early scare before being reduced to nine men and losing 10-2 in a remarkable clash at a mutinous Santiago Bernabeu.
Sections of the home support whistled under-fire manager Rafael Benitez before kick-off and his players received similar treatment at half-time despite being 4-2 to the good against depleted opponents.
Gareth Bale turned a first-half brace into a four-goal haul, quelling the early discontent that had long subsided by the time Karim Benzema completed a hat-trick in the final minute.
Those ambitions were undermined when Tito hacked into Toni Kroos to be sent off and, after Bale equalised, Raul Baena also received his marching orders – preceding a successful penalty from Cristiano Ronaldo.
Madrid are now within two points of champions Barcelona, who wrapped up Club World Cup glory in Japan earlier on Sunday, but the bizarre nature of this rout is unlikely to bring many Benitez doubters onside.
But Paco Jemez's team would not be discouraged and they deservedly drew level when Amaya headed Roberto Trashorras' corner past a flimsy attempted save from Keylor Navas in the 10th minute.
Worse was to come two minutes later for Madrid – Jozabed planting Tito's deflected cross into the corner to stun the Bernabeu – and the attacking midfielder almost made it three when Navas beat a shot behind at the near post with his defence in disarray.
Paco's team were understandably aggrieved as Ronaldo coolly drilled home the resulting penalty.
The utterly surreal feel to proceedings was heightened when Real were whistled at half-time and they sought to repair these fractured relations with their fans as Benzema slotted home number five, James the provider once more.
Yoel was out sharply to deny Ronaldo in the 50th minute but his was a thankless task and there was nothing he could do when the Portuguese superstar firmly nodded James' left-wing cross into the net.
Rayo attacked when possible, left-back Nacho having a venomous shot blocked, heralding the unlikely sight of nine men conceding their seventh on the break after 61 minutes.
Luka Modric found an unmarked Benzema to dispatch number nine and there would be a second hat-trick when he thumped in a lay-off from substitute Mateo Kovacic left footed - concluding a scarcely credible contest in the Spanish capital.
- Real Madrid have scored 10 goals in a Liga game for the third time, the first one since 1960 (11-2 vs Elche).
- Gareth Bale has scored four goals in a league game for the first time in his career.
- Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 49 penalties in La Liga, at least 18 more than any other player since 2009-10.
- Karim Benzema has scored his first hat-trick with Real Madrid in La Liga.
- Madrid have scored 18 goals in their last two games at home (all competitions), 16 of them scored by Ronaldo (6), Benzema (6) and Bale (4).
