3 May 2017

Ronaldo magic puts Real on verge of final

9:08 am on 3 May 2017

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a brilliant hat-trick as Real Madrid crushed cross-town rivals Atletico Madrid 3-0 in the first leg of their Champions League football semi-final.

The Real Madrid footballer Cristiano Ronaldo became the first athlete to have 100 million Facebook followers.

Cristiano Ronaldo. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The Portugul forward put his team on the verge of their third final in four years and took his tally to 103 goals in the competition as he helped Madrid vanquish their city rivals at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Ronaldo headed home in the 10th minute after Casemiro's bouncing cross caught out Atletico's defence, as Madrid dominated the first half.

Karim Benzema set him up to smash home his second on the half-volley in the 73rd minute and he finished from close range with four minutes remaining as Atletico offered little resistance.

The second leg takes place at Atletico's Vicente Calderon on May 10.

-Reuters