Nobody breaks Atletico Madrid hearts quite like Cristiano Ronaldo, so it was no surprise to see the Real Madrid talisman do it once again to leave Diego Simeone’s team facing a mountain to climb in next Wednesday’s Champions League semifinal second leg at the Vicente Calderon.
Three Ronaldo goals secured a 3-0 first-leg win for Real in the Bernabeu and inflicted yet more misery on the rivals from the other side of town. The Portuguese superstar scored the final goal in Real’s 4-1 victory over Atleti in the 2014 Champions League final in Lisbon and slotted the winning penalty in last year’s final in Milan.
Earlier this season, Ronaldo scored a hat trick in Real’s La Liga victory at the Vicente Calderon, and with next week’s return leg due to be the old ground’s final European fixture ahead of the move to the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, Atletico must be bracing themselves to be his victims yet again.
His goals in this game were Ronaldo’s 101st, 102nd and 103rd in the Champions League. Atletico have scored 100 themselves, so every blow lands just that bit harder when it comes from Real’s No. 7.
ESPN.com
