AP,.Madrid :
Goals by Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale helped Real Madrid to a 4-0 victory over 10-man Ludogorets Razgrad on Tuesday and a clean sweep of six wins in Group C of the Champions League.
The defending champion, which had already won the group, stretched its winning streak to 19 matches – a Spanish record – scoring 71 goals in the process. The previous record of 18 consecutive wins was set by Barcelona between Oct. 2005 and Jan. 2006.
Madrid also matched its own 100 percent European group-stage record achieved under Jose Mourinho in 2012, only the sixth team ever to win all six Champions League group stage matches.
“It was a result that this squad has attained with an incredible seriousness and motivation,” coach Carlo Ancelotti said.
Ludogorets forward Marcelinho was sent off for stopping Raphael Varane’s goal-ward shot with an arm and Ronaldo converted the penalty in the 20th minute.
Bale headed in off the crossbar from Toni Kroos’ corner in the 38th for his fifth goal in five matches. Alvaro Arbeloa added Madrid’s third in the 80th, and Alvaro Medran scored in the 88th to complete the rout.
Madrid started with Francisco “Isco” Alarcon along the left wing usually patrolled by Ronaldo and Bale on the right, while reserve goalkeeper Keylor Navas replaced Iker Casillas, who was on the bench.
Ludogorets goalkeeper Vladislav Stoyanov had to make a save within the first two minutes to stop a shot from Ronaldo, with Navas doing the same to deny Marcelinho a minute later.
Navas punched away Virgil Misidjan’s on-target effort in the 17th but Marcelinho’s dismissal suddenly changed the balance of the match, with Kroos hitting the woodwork three minutes later.
“The red card was a blow but we played a good match, we could have scored but luck is like that,” said Ludogorets coach Georgi Dermendjiev.
Ludogorets tried to use its pace to get past Madrid’s midfield but found it hard to go beyond Varane and Jose “Nacho” Fernandez in central defense.
Navas made a good save from Sveloslav Dyakov’s powerful shot in the 58th, but Arbeloa hit the crossbar with a powerful header in the 73rd, shortly before scoring.
“I know I’ve got an extraordinary team, I don’t tire from saying this,” Ancelotti said.
