Cristiano Ronaldo scored a 39th career hat-trick as Real Madrid blitzed to a 3-0 victory over Atletico Madrid in the Vicente Calderon’s last-ever La Liga Derbi.
Ramos had missed the past month with a knee injury, and Coach Zinedine Zidane was taking no chances with the defender, instead keeping him fresh for Madrid’s upcoming Champions League games and the Clasico against Barcelona on December 4.
Elsewhere, Luka Modric came in for the crocked Toni Kroos, in an attack-minded midfield that also featured Mateo Kovacic and Isco, while Karim Benzema was named a substitute, with Lucas Vazquez in his place.
Atleti, meanwhile, made just the one change from their 2-0 defeat to Real Sociedad before the international break as Torres was preferred to Kevin Gameiro.
Saturday’s game marked the last-ever League meeting between the two teams at the Vicente Calderon as Los Colchoneros will play at the newly-renovated La Peineta from next season.
Filipe Luis was fortunate to win an early free kick deep down Madrid’s left, which Yannick Carrasco whipped into the box, and it was essentially cleared off the line by Marcelo.
Madrid were seen to have sprung a tactical surprise as the absences of Casemiro and Toni Kroos prompted Zidane, surely aware of last season’s 4-0 thrashing by Barcelona, to adopt a 4-4-2 formation, with Gareth Bale on the left wing and Isco playing as a floating 10.
With that, Ronaldo powered a header on target that seemed destined for the back of Jan Oblak’s net, only for the goalkeeper to somehow push the ball away in the nick of time. Replays also supported the referee’s decision not to award the goal.
Despite the feisty nature of the derby, no bookings were recorded until the 26th minute, with referee David Fernandez Borbalan keen for play to flow.
Luka Modric then showed magnificent resilience not to give up as he blocked two attempted Atleti clearances, before collecting a flick-on from Gareth Bale, but his dragged shot was just about gathered by Oblak.
Silencing the haters as per usual, however, was Ronaldo, albeit with a slice of luck, as his free kick deflected off Raphael Varane and past Oblak, although it was a deserved lead for Los Blancos.
Ronaldo looked like he was in the mood as he promptly left Diego Godin for dead on the turn and hit a first-time shot in the Atleti box, but Oblak made the save.
Atleti were much improved in the first 15 minutes of the secon half as Carrasco bent one from some way out after he cut inside from the left, and it was a whisker away from creeping over Navas.
Koke then played a lovely reverse pass for Griezmann to latch onto down the left of the Madrid box, but the latter’s attempt ended up being neither a cross nor a shot.
That was as good as it got for Atleti, however. Isco’s low shot passed through Ronaldo, who looked to be offside, but the latter’s attempted flick didn’t come off. On second glance, the Portuguese was onside.
Isco subsequently hit a first-time volley that Oblak didn’t see until late, the goalkeeper taking no chances as he tipped it around his right-hand post.
Madrid soon won a penalty when Savic failed to clear his lines quickly, instead rushing to slide for the ball once Ronaldo entered the picture. The No 7 duly sent Oblak the wrong way.
Juanfran was lucky to have avoided the referee’s eye contact when he gouged Bale’s eyes, but he could do nothing about the Welshman sprinting past him and drilling the ball across goal for Ronaldo to tap in.
Madrid may have inflicted a heavy defeat on Atleti, but there wasn’t one jeer from the home fans when full-time dawned.
Atletico Madrid 0-3 Real Madrid
Ronaldo 23, pen 71, 77
Atletico Madrid: Oblak; Juanfran, Godin, Savic, Filipe; Gabi (Correa 62), Koke, Saul, Carrasco; Griezmann, Torres (Gameiro 62)
Real Madrid: Navas; Carvajal, Varane, Nacho, Marcelo; Bale, Kovacic, Modric, Vazquez (Asensio 86); Isco (Benzema 79); Ronaldo (James 83)
