Cristiano Ronaldo enjoyed a record-breaking evening as his hat-trick fired Real Madrid to a 3-0 victory over Atletico in the Champions League semi-finals.
Relive Tuesday’s Derbi at the Santiago Bernabeu as it unfolded with Football Espana's liveblog!
Ronaldo became the top goalscorer in European cup semi-final history, the first player to score back-to-back hat-tricks in the Champions League knockout stages and the first player to net 20 times in Derbis as Madrid outclassed Atleti in every department to take control of their last-four tie.
Raphael Varane and Isco started for Los Blancos against a Colchoneros side that were forced to play Lucas Hernandez at right-back due to a defensive crisis.
Madrid eased to a 3-0 win at the Vicente Calderon earlier in the season, also courtesy of a Ronaldo treble, but Atleti salvaged a 1-1 draw when the sides last met here a month ago.
More importantly, however, the hosts triumphed against their city rivals in the 2014 and 2016 Champions League finals.
Dani Carvajal quickly nutmegged Hernandez and hit a shot with the outside of his boot that Jan Oblak turned away from point-blank range.
Still inside the opening 10 minutes, Ronaldo outjumped Stefan Savic in the air to nod a header past the goalkeeper.
Madrid had flown out the traps in most of their matches this season, and Tuesday night was no different as Raphael Varane’s header from a corner was pushed away by Oblak at full stretch.
Kevin Gameiro scored a brace at the weekend, but he really ought to have netted again as he tried to round Keylor Navas for 1-1, only for the goalkeeper to get a hand to the ball and eventually gather.
Back at the other end, Karim Benzema sent an overhead kick just wide, before Diego Godin couldn’t keep down his sliding finish at Keylor’s right-hand post after the defender was picked out by a clever Antoine Griezmann free kick.
As the first half drew to a close, Madrid saw 66 percent of the ball, compared to Atleti’s 34, and made 247 passes, whereas the visitors completed just 104.
Controversy at the end of the half saw Sergio Ramos’ fist connect with the back of Hernandez’s head when he went up for a corner, but the Madrid defender avoided serious punishment.
Dani Carvajal was forced off with a suspected injury and replaced by Nacho Fernandez for the second half after a clash with Filipe Luis.
Atleti restarted strongly, pushing hard and monopolising possession around the Madrid box, but Los Blancos were equipped to counter at any opportunity.
Indeed, Benzema’s layoff ricocheted off Filipe and directly in front of Ronaldo, who blasted home his 34th goal of the season on the half-volley.
The Portuguese didn’t take long to bag his second hat-trick of the season against Atleti as he rolled home Lucas Vazquez’s cutback. The goal was also his 400th in a Madrid jersey.
Marco Asensio and Luka Modric each hit the side-netting before the final whistle, but their misses had no bearing on a dominant Madrid performance.
Real Madrid 3-0 Atletico Madrid
Ronaldo 10, 73, 86
Real Madrid: Navas; Carvajal (Nacho 46), Varane, Ramos, Marcelo; Modric, Casemiro, Kroos; Isco (Asensio 68), Benzema (Vazquez 78), Ronaldo
Atletico Madrid: Oblak; Savic, Lucas, Godin, Filipe; Gabi, Saul (Gaitan 58), Koke, Carrasco (Correa 68); Griezmann, Gameiro (Fernando Torres 57)
Referee: Atkinson (ENG)
