Real Madrid talisman, Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat trick for his team in a 3-0 win in the first semi-final game of the UEFA Champions League against a disappointing Atletico Madrid to make the second leg an easy passage for the final.
Ronaldo headed home in the 10th minute, before he lashed home a second midway through the second half and completed his treble five minutes from time.
The hosts first scoring opportunity came in the seventh minute as Dani Carvajal danced into the box and saw his shot saved back into the middle by Jan Oblak, though Karim Benzema’s follow-up shot was blocked.
But Madrid were in front three minutes later as Casemiro chopped a cross into the ground, and as it bounced up Ronaldo rose highest to head into the net.
The second half started equally slow, and Real Madrid didn’t take a shot until Ronaldo doubled their lead in the 73rd minute.
Benzema shrugged off a challenge from Atletico’s Diego Godin and the ball came to Ronaldo, who was tackled by Felipe Luis, only for the ball to come back off the Portugal star’s body, and he slammed home his second goal of the night on the half-volley.
Atletico still failed to register a shot on target, and Ronaldo made it three following a counter-attack.
Lucas Vazquez did well to get in round the back and find Ronaldo, who had time to take a touch and send Oblak the wrong way.