RONALDO’S A REAL MACHINE
But Bayern fume at ‘offside’ goals
CRISTIANO Ronaldo scored a hat- trick to put Real Madrid into the Champions League semi-final, dumping out his old boss Carlo Ancelotti in the process.
It was cruel on Bayern Munich who had Arturo Vidal harshly sent off and who could complain that Ronaldo’s second and third goals were offside.
It was incredible from Ronaldo all the same — Real Madrid had scored six goals across the tie and he had netted five of them, becoming the first player to score 100 Champions League goals.
‘Bayern were excellent but we were better,’ said Ronaldo. Asked if this was Madrid on their way to a 12th European Cup he added: ‘We still have some way to go, but I hope so.’
The Portuguese headed in Casemiro’s cross in the second half of normal time to cancel out Robert Lewandowski’s penalty only for a Sergio Ramos own-goal to take the game into extra time.
Bayern had to play the added half-hour with 10 men after Vidal was sent off for a second bookable offence. The midfielder got the ball as he slid in on Marco Asensio but referee Viktor Kassai showed him the red card.
The German champions were the better team at the start of the first period of extra time but Ronaldo, in an offside position when Ramos crossed, lashed in the decisive goal with a half-volley.
Ronaldo and Ramos were the biggest defenders of Ancelotti when he was sacked as Real Madrid coach in 2015 — Ramos even planted a kiss on his old coach before the game started last night — but they had combined to knock the Italian out.
Real Madrid’s third goal was also dubious. Marcelo raced away and Ronaldo finished past Manuel Neuer again looking the wrong side of the last defender.
Asensio got the fourth to make it 6-3 on aggregate. Bayern will point to refereeing decisions. Real Madrid will point to Ronaldo.
Ancelotti said: ‘I saw the ref afterwards and said, “Good job”. Vidal’s card was not a card, then you have two goals for Cristiano offside. There has to be a video or a referee with more quality.’
Things had looked so much better for Bayern when they took the lead on 53 minutes. Keylor Navas did his best to put Lewandowski off his penalty but the Poland forward dropped his shoulder to prompt the keeper’s dive and send the ball the other way.
But Ronaldo struck for his first of the night in the 76th minute, heading in Casemiro’s cross. Madrid thought they were through but Ramos put past his own keeper under pressure from Lewandowski to send the game towards the additional half-hour.
These two old titans of European football have clashed more times in this competition more than any other pairing.
At the end the Madrid fans chanted the name of Ronaldo. The unstoppable scoring machine just goes on and on — another hattrick and another semi-final.
7 REAL MADRID have qualified for the Champions League semi-finals for the seventh successive season — the longest streak in the elite competition’s history.