Barcelona loses to 1-0 Celta, Madrid takes lead

Barcelona's Lionel Messi (L) fights for the ball with Celta de Vigo's Sergi Gomez during their Spanish first division soccer match at Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona November 1, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]

"It was a game the entire team had dreamed of," Alvarez said.

Earlier in Granada, Colombia forward James Rodriguez had his best game since joining Madrid this summer with a pair of goals, while Karim Benzema also scored from Ronaldo's pass after setting up the Portugal star's second-minute opener.

Madrid will take its 11-game winning run back home to host Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday. It has outscored opponents 46-7 during that streak.

Ronaldo also kept up his personal streak with his league-leading 17th goal and his 22nd overall this campaign.

"Talking about Cristiano is starting to be a little difficult. He is fantastic," Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said.

Ronaldo's sharp right-footed strike to slot in Benzema's pass after Dani Carvajal, who later left with a leg injury, had won possession near the end-line put the visitors in control from the second minute.

Rodriguez made it 2-0 in the 31st with an exquisite touch of his left boot to send the ball dipping over goalkeeper Roberto Fernandez after being set up by Benzema.

Benzema stabbed in his goal in the 54th from a back-heeled pass Ronaldo made with a defender draped on his back, and Rodriguez tapped in his second goal with three minutes to go.

Atletico also had little trouble in making sure Cordoba remained the only winless team in the league, and extended its home unbeaten streak in the competition to 25 games.

Griezmann scored in the 43rd before Nabil Ghilas headed in his first of two goals to level in the 53rd, but Griezmann restored Atletico's lead five minutes later with a crisp header. Mario Mandzukic and Raul Garcia sealed the win with headers in the 62nd and 80th before Ghilas got his second with three to play.

Also, Malaga won 1-0 at Real Sociedad from Juan Jimenez's 71st-minute goal. Malaga's fourth win in a row kept it in seventh place.