Home horror for Valencia against five star Real

Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos celebrates after scoring against Valencia during their Spanish Premier League football match at Mestalla Stadium in Valencia, Spain. Madrid won 5-1.

Real Madrid consolidated their lead of the Spanish first division by thrashing hapless Valencia 5-1 on Wednesday, equalling the the heaviest home defeat in the Mediterranean side's history.

"We were very superior from the first minute. There were moments when I don't think we could play any better and that was reflected in the scoreline," commented Real coach Bernd Schuster.

"But I'm not going to get carried away. We've got a difficult series of games coming up and I'm now going to start thinking about Sevilla on Saturday," added the German.

The emphatic victory gives Real a four point lead at the top of La Liga, although third-placed Barcelona have a game in hand and can halve their bitter rival's advantage if they win at Valladolid on Thursday.

Real took only 45 seconds to take the lead when Raul picked his spot to push the ball past Valencia goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand from the edge of the area, after Robinho had danced around four defenders.

Real Madrid's Brazilian Robinho (R) celebrates with teammate Dutch Ruud Van Niestelrooy after scoring against Valencia during their Spanish Premier League football match at Mestalla Stadium in Valencia, Spain. Madrid won 5-1.

Ruud van Nistelrooy added Real's second after 24 minutes when Raul headed on a long ball forward and the Dutch striker cheekily chipped over the stranded Hildebrand.

Five minutes later, Sergio Ramos latched onto a pass from Jose Maria 'Guti' Gutierrez and hammered the ball low and hard just inside Hildebrand's right post.

Van Nistelrooy added a fourth for Real before the break when he stabbed home a Robinho pass after 36 minutes.

Real relaxed after half time and Miguel Angel Angulo got one back for Valencia after 58 minutes but the goal only served as a wake up call and Robinho got Real's fifth goal six minutes later.

Valencia's miserable night didn't end there and, nine minutes from time, Raul Albiol was sent off for a blatant obstruction of Robinho.

"This was a painful result but at least I've fulfilled my dream of coaching in the first division," said Valencia's caretaker coach Oscar Fernandez.

Real Madrid's Raul Gonzalez celebrates after scoring against Valencia during their Spanish Premier League football match at Mestalla Stadium in Valencia, Spain. Madrid won 5-1.

Fernandez stepped into the breech after the sacking of Quique Flores on Monday and ahead of new coach Ronald Koeman taking over on Friday.

Not since they suffered a similar defeat by Barcelona in the 1932-33 season have Valencia been so badly beaten and the result will give Koeman plenty to ponder on his arrival.

Earlier on Wednesday, PSV Eindhoven confirmed that the former Barcelona hero would be leaving them to join the Spanish club.

Villarreal moved up to second place with a comprehensive 3-0 defeat of bottom club Levante on Wednesday.

Mexican striker Guille Franco opened the scoring after just three minutes with an easy shot from the edge of the six yard box after Levante defender Bruno Cirillo had failed to clear a Marcos Senna free kick.

Valencia's Portuguesse Miguel (L) vies for the ball with Real Madrid's Brazilian Robinho during their Spanish Premier League football match at Mestalla Stadium in Valencia. Madrid won 5-1.

Villarreal then quickly extended their lead with Giuseppe Rossi scoring from the penalty spot after Cirillo was adjudged to have brought down Santi Cazorla.

French defender Pascal Cygan added Villrreal's third after 38 minutes with a header from another Senna free kick before they stepped off the accelerator in the second half.

The defeat means Levante extend their club record losing streak to eight games and remain firmly stuck to the foot of the Spanish first division with just one point.

Getafe started the week in penultimate position but got an impressive 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao.

Francisco Casquero opened the scoring for Getafe after eight minutes when he connected with Kepa Blanco's wonderfully floated free kick from out wide on the right flank.

Ikechukwu Uche added Getafe's second after 29 minutes, his first shot being blocked by Athletic goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz but the ball bounced back to the Nigerian striker who didn't make any mistake with his second attempt.

Athletic were also reduced to 10 men for the final 18 minutes when Francisco Amorebeita picked up his second yellow card.

Nevertheless, the win was not enough to get Getafe out of the relegation zone and they remain third from bottom, just behind Real Betis on goal difference despite the Seville-based side crashing 3-0 at home to Osasuna.

Atletico Madrid came out on top of a seven-goal thriller with two-time UEFA Cup champions Sevilla - who lost coach Juande Ramos to Spurs - and move up to fourth after their 4-3 win later on Wednesday.