It was the Cristiano Ronaldo show in the Madrid derby
Cristiano Ronaldo's hat-trick put the defending champions Real Madrid on the verge of yet another UEFA Champions League final. It was the Portuguese talisman's 42nd hat-trick for Real Madrid. The hosts, dominant throughout the match, thrashed their derby rivals Atletico Madrid 3-0 in the first leg of Semis, to close in on a third final in four years.
Ronaldo has more goals than Atletico Madrid
Cristiano Ronaldo (103) has scored more Champions League goals than the football club Atletico Madrid (100).
Goal summary
Playing at home at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Real Madrid took an early lead when Ronaldo headed home Casemiro's cross in the 10th minute. He scored his second in the 73rd minute with a strike into the top corner. CR7 wrapped up the tie by netting a third goal from a close range, with four minutes left on the clock.
Atletico have a mountain to climb
Atletico who just had one shot on target during the Semis first leg, are left with a huge challenge when they face Real for the second leg on 10 May. Diego Simeone's side stand to face Real Madrid fourth consecutive year in the latter stages of Champions League. They lost the last three matches - two finals (2014, 2016) and a quarter-final (2015).
Simeone hopes for the 'unexpected'
Atletico manager Diego Simeone said that his side needs to forget the defeat and hoped for the 'unexpected' when he said, "It seems impossible (to overturn first leg defeat), but it is football and football has these unexpected things that make it marvellous".
