Real Madrid once again triumphed over neighbours Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League in the first leg of the anticipated semi-final clash. Real Madrid attacker Cristiano Ronaldo scored the first goal in the 10th minute, with a headed goal from Casemiro’s cross. Atletico Madrid tried to claw their way back into the game, but it wasn’t to be as the mercurial Ronaldo added an exquisitely taken second goal in the 78th minute, and capped off an impressive man of the match performance with a third goal in the 86th minute to cement his hattrick.
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane was quick to highlight the fact that the tie hasn’t been settled yet, “We’re happy with the result, but we haven’t won anything yet and in the return leg we’ll be made to dig in,” he said. The Los Blancos manager said the scoreline is a good reflection of how superior they were and said that they’ll need a good performance in te second leg next week at the Calderon too, “There’s no such thing as an easy game in football. We know that we’re going to have to perform just as well and put in a perfect performance if we’re to progress,” said Zidane. On Cristiano Ronaldo’s performance, he said the attacker has goals in him, “He’s got goals in him and he’s unique,” said the Real Madrid coach.
Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone said his team will play their hearts out in the second leg at their home ground, “It’s very complicated but it’s football. Football has unexpected things. We will play until the last drop of possibility we have,” said Simeone. He said that even though Real Madrid won the first leg, there is still a second leg to be played.
