RON TWO THREE
Sensational Cristiano the hat-trick hero
R MADRID ......... 3
A MADRID ......... 0 CRISTIANO RONALDO was rampant for Real.
Atletico parked the bus to frustrate their Madrid neighbours in this Champions League semi-final first leg.
However, there was no stopping Ronaldo as his sensational hat-trick put the holders on the verge of their third final in four years.
Real should have led after seven minutes when right-back Dani Carvajal played a neat one-two before firing in a shot that Atletico keeper Jan Oblak bundled into the path of Karim Benzema.
Instead of gobbling up the chance Benzema shoved his poor effort wide. But three minutes later Ronaldo showed Benzema how to do it.
Atletico’s much admired defence fell apart when they failed to deal with a Real corner. Casemiro sent it back in first time and Ronaldo was head and shoulders over Stefan Savic to bury a header from six yards – his 101st Champions League goal.
Oblak made up for his earlier blunder when Raphael Varane got on the end of Toni Kroos’ corner but Oblak pushed away his thumping strike. English referee Martin Atkinson was into the game after 26 minutes when he booked Koke for a cynical trip on Luka Modric.
Real continued to dominate with a shot count of 10-0 in their favour with less than a third of the match gone.
A minute later, Benzema came close to copying Emre Can’s superb overhead goal for Liverpool on Monday when he sent one fizzing just over – with his weaker left foot.
After 32 minutes Atletico came close to equalising with their first shot of the match.
Antoine Griezmann clipped a ball to the back post and Diego Godin was free on the stretch but fired over.
Atletico boss Diego Simeone was not prepared to sit back and take Real’s dominance, sending on ex-Liverpool striker Fernando Torres and Nicolas Gaitan for Kevin Gameiro and Saul 10 minutes into the second half.
But Portugal ace Ronaldo was on target again after 73 minutes, picking up a Benzema pass and hitting a thunderous drive past Oblak.
The hat-trick came four minutes from time when sub Lucas Vazquez powered down to the byline and cut the ball back for Ronaldo to coolly slot home.