AFP, Madrid :
It took less than 15 minutes for Real Madrid to erase fears of another setback at home as it put its Champions League campaign back on track.
With three goals in the first 14 minutes, Madrid cruised to a 6-0 win over Galatasaray on Wednesday, moving closer to the knockout stages and ending the Turkish team’s chances of advancing in the European competition.
Brazilian teenager Rodrygo had a dream Champions League debut at home, scoring the quickest brace in tournament history and his first hat trick with Madrid.
Karim Benzema got a double to reach 50 Champions League goals with the Spanish club, surpassing Alfredo Di Stefano’s tally.
Rodrygo scored twice in the opening seven minutes, and Sergio Ramos added the third from a penalty in the 14th to put Madrid on its way to a comfortable home victory. Benzema added the fourth just before halftime and scored again late in the second half, while Rodrygo sealed his hat trick in stoppage time.
“We can be happy with our performance today,” Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said. “Not only because of the six goals, but also because we kept a clean sheet. We played a complete match. We got the best version of all of our players.”
The result ended Madrid’s three-game winless streak at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in the Champions League, leaving the 13-time champion in good position in Group A after a winless start that had fans fearing the team’s first group-stage elimination since the 1989-90 season.
Madrid has seven points, five more than third-place Club Brugge, which lost 1-0 at leader Paris Saint-Germain in the group’s other match. PSG remained perfect with 12 points – and has secured its spot in the knockout stages – while Galatasaray is last with one point.
It took less than 15 minutes for Real Madrid to erase fears of another setback at home as it put its Champions League campaign back on track.
With three goals in the first 14 minutes, Madrid cruised to a 6-0 win over Galatasaray on Wednesday, moving closer to the knockout stages and ending the Turkish team’s chances of advancing in the European competition.
Brazilian teenager Rodrygo had a dream Champions League debut at home, scoring the quickest brace in tournament history and his first hat trick with Madrid.
Karim Benzema got a double to reach 50 Champions League goals with the Spanish club, surpassing Alfredo Di Stefano’s tally.
Rodrygo scored twice in the opening seven minutes, and Sergio Ramos added the third from a penalty in the 14th to put Madrid on its way to a comfortable home victory. Benzema added the fourth just before halftime and scored again late in the second half, while Rodrygo sealed his hat trick in stoppage time.
“We can be happy with our performance today,” Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said. “Not only because of the six goals, but also because we kept a clean sheet. We played a complete match. We got the best version of all of our players.”
The result ended Madrid’s three-game winless streak at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in the Champions League, leaving the 13-time champion in good position in Group A after a winless start that had fans fearing the team’s first group-stage elimination since the 1989-90 season.
Madrid has seven points, five more than third-place Club Brugge, which lost 1-0 at leader Paris Saint-Germain in the group’s other match. PSG remained perfect with 12 points – and has secured its spot in the knockout stages – while Galatasaray is last with one point.
