Cristiano Ronaldo hit a hat-trick as Real Madrid ran riot in the
second half against Galatasaray to make a major statement about their
ambitions in the Champions League.
Although Galatasaray started strongly, they crumbled after Isco made
the breakthrough late in the first half as Ronaldo and Karim Benzema
feasted on some poor defending.
Gareth Bale started the match on the bench, but came on midway through
the second half and created one of Ronaldo's goals.
There was a late consolation for the hosts from Umut Bulut, but it was
not enough to bring even a flicker of emotion to the face of
disconsolate coach Fatih Terem, who started the night full of hope but
ended it with his team in tatters.
Galatasaray started in lively fashion, with Burak Yilmaz testing Iker
Casillas in only the second minute, the Madrid captain at full stretch
to force his powerful effort away for a corner.
Casillas was starting ahead of Diego Lopez after being told by coach
Carlo Ancelotti that he would play in Europe while deputising in La
Liga, but his night soon came to a premature end when he took an elbow
to the ribs in the 13th minute.
He initially tried to play on with heavy bandaging, but after one
attempted clearance he signalled to come off.
Lopez was soon busy too, holding Felipe Melo's close-range header from
Yilmaz's free-kick.
Moments later, Madrid appealed for a penalty. Benzema did well to keep
the ball in on the touchline before pulling it back to Ronaldo, who
tumbled over the outstretched leg of Dany Nounkeu only to see his
appeals ignored by Mark Clattenburg.
As play continued, Angel Di Maria curled an effort over the bar.
Galatasaray were still looking threatening, with Wesley Sneijder close
to picking out Yilmaz in front of goal after springing the offside
trap, before Felipe Melo's superb header was kept out by an equally
good save from Lopez.
But it was Madrid who struck in the 33rd minute when Isco's
outstanding first touch to Di Maria's long ball allowed him to split
the defence and score off the inside of the left-hand post.
Things got worse for Galatasaray when Didier Drogba collapsed under a
rough challenge from Pepe just as an already lengthy spell of added
time was beginning.
In all, six additional minutes were played, highlighted by a Ronaldo
shot parried by Fernando Muslera Drogba failed to reappear for the
second half and, without him, Galatasaray struggled to contain Madrid.
Ronaldo's fierce early shot beat Muslera, who needed Nounkeu to hook
it off the line, but moments later a defensive mix-up allowed Benzema
to run free and finish with ease.
Yilmaz then missed a free header and a chance to put the hosts back in
the contest, and Madrid punished him with two quick goals from Ronaldo
to end the contest.
Neither was pretty. The first came when Galatasaray failed to deal
with Di Maria's cross and Ronaldo was able to rifle home from Isco's
knock-back, the second when the Portugal forward lashed home the
rebound from a free-kick taken by record signing Bale, on as a
substitute moments earlier.
Bale then tested Muslera with a shot of his own which was pushed
clear, but it was Benzema who added the fifth, poking into an empty
net after Ronaldo drew the goalkeeper from his line before flicking
the ball across.
For the Galatasary fans who stuck it out, there was a little something
to cheer when the slightest of touches from Bulut diverted Nordin
Amrabat's cross into the goal, but Ronaldo had the final word as he
completed his hat-trick with a couple of stepovers and a vicious
finish as added time began.
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