Cristiano Ronaldo scored two penalties to lead Real Madrid to a 4-1 comeback victory over 10-man Athletic Bilbao Sunday, keeping the Spanish leader five points clear despite Barcelona's 4-1 win at Malaga that featured a hat trick from Lionel Messi. A youthful Bilbao went ahead through Fernando Llorente's 13th-minute opener before Marcelo leveled in the 25th. Ronaldo stroked home a pair of spot kicks in the second half and Jose Callejon added a late goal to secure the hosts a much-needed win following their midweek 2-1 home loss to Barcelona in the first leg of the Copa del Rey quarterfinals. Barcelona holds a 1-0 lead and hosts Madrid Wednesday in the second leg of the Copa del Rey quarterfinals, but Marcelo isn't giving up. Madrid coach Jose Mourinho made a number of changes to the defensive side that lost to Barcelona, giving rare starts to Kaka, midfielder Esteban Granero and bringing back playmaker Mesut Oezil and Marcelo to match Bilbao's attack-minded starting 11. Earlier, it was: Osasuna 1, Valencia 1; Rayo Vallecano 0, Mallorca 1 and Levante 0, Zaragoza 0. Pepe cautioned Spain's football authority cautioned Real Madrid defender Pepe Monday after he stamped on the hand of Barcelona's striker Lionel Messi in a cup clash last week. The Royal Spanish Football Federation named Pepe on its list of players sanctioned for dangerous play in the King's Cup quarterfinals, along with three other Real players and Gerard Pique of Barcelona. Television images of the January 18 clash showed Pepe walking towards the referee, glancing down quickly at Messi, who was lying on the ground, and then stamping on his left hand with his boot. The Portuguese defender apologized saying the stamp was accidental, fuelling criticism in the press which considered the apology unconvincing. Real lost the first-leg cup match 2-1 at home and travel to Barcelona Wednesday for the second leg. The other Madrid players cautioned by the federation for dangerous play in Monday's list were Fabio Coentrao, Jose Maria Callejon and Ricardo Carvalho. Balotelli charged Manchester City's Italian striker Mario Balotelli could be suspended for four matches after he was charged Monday with violent conduct by the Football Association. The 21-year-old Italian international has been charged over images appearing to show that he deliberately stamped on England midfielder Scott Parker's head during Sunday's 3-2 Premier League win over the London side. The incident infuriated Spurs manager Harry Redknapp, even more so as referee Howard Webb waved play on without sanctioning Balotelli and the striker was to add insult to injury when he converted a penalty in time added-on to secure the points and deal a serious blow to Spurs own title hopes. Webb, though, has subsequently told the FA that had he seen the incident he would have sent him off. Balotelli – who has rarely been out of the headlines on both the front and back pages since joining City from Inter Milan in the summer of 2010 – has until 1800GMT Wednesday to reply to it. Should he accept it he will begin his four match ban immediately and miss Wednesday's League Cup second leg semi-final clash away at Liverpool, who hold a 1-0 advantage after the first leg. If he appeals he will be able to play in the game and argue his case at the hearing which will be held later this week. Other matches he would miss should he accept the charge would be the league leaders Premier League trips to Everton and Aston Villa, plus the home match with Fulham on Feb 4.
