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But it was a wretched return for the Uruguayan, as Real came from behind to close the gap to one point on leaders Barca.

Inevitably, Cristiano Ronaldo scored – he always does at home – with Pepe and Karim Benzema adding the decisive blows in a one-sided second half.

Barcelona had rolled their tanks on to the Bernabeu turf with Lionel Messi, Suarez and Neymar in attack showing the confidence of a team that has won here four times in their last six visits.

Facing down those Catalan guns was £303m worth of Real talent, with free-scoring Ronaldo the spearhead.

It promised to be a cracking El Clasico and it delivered, Barca taking the lead inside four minutes with Suarez the provider.

He fed Neymar on the edge of the penalty area and the Brazilian chested down the ball, took a step inside and hammered it past Iker Casillas.

The Bernabeu fell into a stunned silence, except for the 500 Barca fans perched high in one corner, who were delirious.

Messi, unlike the celebrating away fans, was largely kept quiet.

Indeed, his main contribution a nasty tackle on the impressive Toni Kroos that rightly brought a yellow card.

The Argentine then missed a glorious chance from eight yards after Suarez again delivered a clinical pass from the right wing.

Real kept coming, Ronaldo furious not to get a penalty after running into Sergio Busquets. Barca were not so fortunate minutes later when again Marcelo broke free down the left, he crossed low, Gerard Pique slipped and handled the ball on the ground.

Ronaldo slotted in the penalty with the calmness of a man in such rich form – it was his 22nd goal of the season and maintained his run of scoring in every home league game since September of last year.

It was the first time Barcelona keeper Claudio Bravo had been beaten in the league this season.

Real cracked open Bravo’s vault again only five minutes into the second half and they did it very simply – Pepe rising unchallenged to send an unstoppable header into the bottom corner from Kroos’ corner.

Facts from Saturday’s Clasico which Real Madrid won after beating Barcelona 3-1.

– Real Madrid have won two Clasicos in a row with Iker Casillas as captain for the first time in all competitions.

– The last team to have scored as many goals in the opening nine games of a La Liga season were also Real Madrid in 1959/60 (33).

– Karim Benzema has scored four goals in his last three league games against Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu.

– Neymar has scored his last eight goals for Barcelona from just nine shots on target in all competitions.

– Cristiano Ronaldo has scored in his last 11 games, his best run scoring for Real Madrid.

– Karim Benzema is the only player to have hit the woodwork twice against Barcelona in a La Liga game (2003-2014).

– Real Madrid have scored more fast break goals than any other team in La Liga this season (four goals).

– Lionel Messi has been booked seven times vs Real Madrid, three more than versus any other side in all competitions.

– Toni Kroos is the Real Madrid top assister in La Liga this season with five, three of them from set pieces.

– Cristiano Ronaldo has scored in 16 of his last 17 league appearances (25 goals).

The third goal came from an unlikely source – a Barcelona corner; Ivan Rakitic with his first touch skidding a low ball to the edge of the area with Andres Iniesta then trying a flicked pass that Isco intercepted and Real were away.

Isco passed a little short for Ronaldo, but he simply swivelled, played it square to James Rodriguez, who slid in Benzema.

It was training ground stuff past an exposed defence and Benzema finished emphatically.

Suarez, who had scored on his debut for his last three clubs, was sacrificed in the 69th minute – he had run himself ragged and showed some clever turns and touches but he will have better days.

Match Photos: 

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Ronaldo‘s glorious 23rd minute strike and a double from Karim Benzema sealed the champions’ triumph before halftime, leaving Real‘s Portuguese icon insisting his side were in the mood to become the first team in the Champions League era to successfully defend the title.

“We know it’ll be very tough but we know it’s possible if we play like that,” said Ronaldo, after scoring his 70th Champions League goal, which puts him within one of equalling Raul‘s all-time record.

He had a chance to share the mark but was thwarted by a point blank second half save from Simon Mignolet.

“I’m not worried about that (Raul’s record) I know I’m going to beat his record today or another game. Me and Messi (69 goals) are very close,” said Ronaldo.

The roar of one of Europe’s most vociferous crowds, which contributed to a bright start for the hosts as they hoped to see Liverpool improve on their three-game, 100 percent record over Real in European competition, was muted once Ronaldo scored the most brilliant of openers.

There looked to be little cause for alarm as Ronaldo flitted around in midfield and passed to James Rodriguez, who was surrounded by red shirts. Yet a delightful, dinked pass somehow picked out Ronaldo again and his first-time finish, taken early almost on the half-volley, was exquisite.

It proved the signal for Real to take over and Liverpool‘s suspect defence to lose concentration under pressure.

Liverpool should have cleared their lines long before Benzema‘s precise, looping header from Toni Kroos‘s cross effectively put the game beyond their reach.

The third was a scrappy, messy affair, with Liverpool again guilty of missing a couple of opportunities to clear a corner before the ball fell obligingly for Benzema to nudge home his second.

After Philippe Coutinho almost pulled one back with a searing shot which hit the post, Liverpool were resigned to having to claw back a three-goal deficit in a Champions League match for the first time since they did just that against AC Milan in the 2005 Istanbul final.

Real manager Carlo Ancelotti, in charge of the Milan side which threw away that lead, was not about to let history repeat itself.

“No I forgot this,” he said, when asked about that Istanbul night. “I told the players that in football anything can happen. I know really well these (Liverpool) supporters. I told my players to stay focussed for the second half.”

Madrid never looked threatened despite Liverpool seeming a little livelier, thanks in part to the tactical substitution of Mario Balotelli, who was replaced at halftime by Adam Lallana.

Ancelotti, who felt it was the best Madrid had played all season, even had the luxury of being able to take off Ronaldo 15 minutes from the end with a view to the weekend’s Clasico against Barcelona and his champion player was thrilled to be given a resounding reception from the Kop.

“It was special,” said Ronaldo, who felt that with Madrid now having a maximum nine points from their three games, qualification was “75 percent” assured.

Brendan Rodgers, the Liverpool manager who now faces a difficult qualification route with his side having three points alongside Ludogorets and Basel, had no complaints about being beaten by a team of such quality.

“You can see Real’s quality. Speed, technique; you can see why they are champions. The second and third goals are from set-pieces again. It’s an issue for us and we have to be better than that.”

Match Photos: Liverpool vs Real Madrid – Champions League [HQ]

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Real Madrid needed a 77th-minute goal from substitute Karim Benzema for a 2-1 comeback win at Champions League newcomer Ludogorets on Wednesday, after Cristiano Ronaldo missed one penalty before making amends with a second spot kick.

Liverpool’s loss left Madrid alone in first place of the group with six points. Basel and Liverpool have three points, while Ludogorets was left with zero despite two strong showings against Madrid and Liverpool.

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He finished the match grimacing and favoring his left leg after a late tackle by Anicet Abel left him writhing on the turf.

Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti rested some of his first-choice players and gave starts to Javier Hernandez, Asier Illarramendi and Franciso “Isco” Alarcon.

And although Isco was Madrid’s best player with his incisive runs and passes on the left side of the midfield, Ancelotti had to turn to Benzema to replace Hernandez with the former Manchester United forward lacking his finishing touch.

Ludogorets‘ fans had to travel 335 kilometers (210 miles) to play at Vasil Levski Stadium in Sofia because the club’s 6,000-seat arena does not meet UEFA standards.

But travel-weary supporters soon had a good reason to celebrate after Madrid turned over possession and Marcelinho got off a shot which glanced off a defender and earned a corner kick. The 30-year-old Brazilian turned that opportunity into a stunning opener when he headed in the cross flicked on to the far post.

Madrid started to take better care of the ball and was soon creating a steady stream of scoring chances.

A deflected Isco pass left Hernandez alone in the area, where defender Yordan Minev fouled him to stop him from facing the goalkeeper one-on-one.

The risky move paid off when he escaped with only a yellow card and Ronaldo missed the penalty.

Ronaldo fell after contact with Cosmin Moti in the area and was rewarded with a penalty following another attack led by Isco. The Portugal forward chose the same right side of Stoyanov, but this time put an unreachable strike just inside the post.

Ludogorets still remained dangerous and goalie Iker Casillas had to get low to parry Mihail Alexandrov’s shot on the break in the 31st.

An otherwise quiet Gareth Bale tested Stoyanov with a header in the 52nd, but it was Casillas who made one-handed saves to deny long strikes by Fabio Espinho and Marcelinho.

Ronaldo was inches from a second goal when Minev cleared his shot off the line seconds after Benzema entered the game.

Benzema then took full advantage of the only blown coverage by Ludogorets when his marker apparently fell, leaving him alone in front of goal to turn in Marcelo’s pass.

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The mid table visitors ended the match with 10 men after David Navarro was sent off in the second half for a foul on Cristiano Ronaldo, but they were well beaten even before he saw red.

Ronaldo had put Real ahead after 11 minutes before defender Marcelo put them two up just after halftime.

An own goal from Nikos Karabelas completed Levante‘s miserable evening.

The victory sees Carlo Ancelotti‘s men head the standings by three points from city rivals Atletico.

Defending champions Barca lost 1-0 to struggling Valladolid Saturday and trail by four in third place, making their El Clasico match-up with Real later this month all the more important.

Real have not lost since a 2-1 league reverse to Barcelona in October as their goal scoring trio of Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale have found the net on a regular basis.

Ronaldo showed his heading qualities by rising to meet Angel di Maria‘s corner to put Real ahead before Benzema hit the post.

Marcelo’s superlative curling effort on 49 minutes all but settled the affair before Navarro, who was once banned for seven months after a notorious Champions League brawl when playing for Valencia, got his marching orders for the seventh time in his career.

Marcelo also had a hand in the final goal as Karabelas turned the defender’s cross into his own goal and there was just time for Ronaldo to thump the woodwork as he sought a second.

Ancelotti was delighted as his team continued to mount a strong challenge on all fronts. “We had the same intensity and concentration in the last few games,” he told Real’s official website.

“We played well from the first minute til the last; very efficient and with security at the back. The match was very good,” he added.

Here are the Match Pictures: 

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“[Ronaldo] is playing on another level,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “He scores with such incredible ease. It’s tough to find words to describe him.”

Madrid’s win pulled it to within two points of Atletico and three points behind league leader Barcelona before they have matches on Sunday.

Ronaldo opened the scoring, adding another goal from the penalty spot and a third with a well-placed free kick. Karim Benzema also kept up his good form by scoring while Gareth Bale set up Sami Khedira for a goal.

Ronaldo has recorded eight multi-goal performances, including three hat tricks, in 17 matches for Madrid this season. He will hope to keep his streak going when Portugal plays Sweden in a two-leg playoff on Nov. 15 and 19 with only the winner qualifying for the 2014 World Cup.

“It will be a very important tie for us,” Ronaldo said. “We want to be in the World Cup and we will try our hardest to get there.”

Here are The Match Pictures:

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Sociedad never stood a chance at the Santiago Bernabeu against a Madrid side that kept its attack firing away for a fourth straight game while finally shoring up a defence that had become penalty prone with five whistled against it in the previous three games.

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Juventus dominated in the first period and Iker Casillas made two crucial saves but Arturo Vidal gave the Italian side a deserved halftime lead from the penalty spot after Paul Pogba was fouled by Raphael Varane.

Ronaldo leveled for Madrid with his 21st goal in 16 matches this season and set up another minutes later as Gareth Bale put Carlo Ancelotti’s side in front.

Madrid‘s lead lasted just five minutes before Fernando Llorente headed in the equalizer for Juventus.

“I feel very good, I’m in a very good moment of my career,” Ronaldo said. “It’s my profession, I try to do my best every year, I want to show everyone that I am a good player and that I always give my best for my team.

“In the first half we didn’t play well, we played too deeply, too defensively. The coach told us we needed to play better. We were good in the second half, scored two goals, hit the woodwork, we had a good response. We are practically in the next round, we need one point, I think it’s almost impossible that we won’t qualify.”

Madrid dropped its first points but remains top of Group B with 10 points, while Juventus slips to bottom spot after Copenhagen beat Galatasaray 1-0.

“We need to beat Copenhagen at home and then play for everything against Galatasaray,” Juventus coach Antonio Conte said. “We should be fortified because we had a great performance and a good result against a really strong team. My players showed on the pitch that we can play against anyone.”

Madrid won its three previous Champions League matches to take a commanding lead of the group. Juventus had just two points and knew it had to win to have a realistic chance of advancing.

Conte‘s team attacked from the outset and Pogba had an early opportunity, but fired wide of the left upright from distance.

Madrid had its first chance in the ninth minute when Ronaldo ran half the length of the pitch and into the area before unleashing a shot which fizzed just past the left post.

The visitors again went close moments later when the world’s most expensive player, Bale, won a challenge with Martin Caceres for the ball but his tame effort was comfortably saved by Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.

Juventus should have scored in the 16th minute when Pogba‘s cross was almost turned into his own net by Pepe, but Iker Casillas managed to save at point blank range. Although he spilled the ball, no one could take advantage and the danger was cleared.

The Italian side went closer shortly before the 30th and Claudio Marchisio seemed almost certain to score with a header, but Casillas did brilliantly to deflect it past his right post with his leg.

Madrid was camped out in its own half and reduced to trying to hit Juventus on the counterattack. Bale went close when he curled a shot narrowly past the far corner.

Juventus broke the deadlock when Varane slid into Pogba and referee Howard Webb pointed straight to the spot. Vidal stepped up and fired into the top right corner to send Juventus Stadium into a frenzy.

Ronaldo had a chance to equalize on the stroke of halftime but spooned his effort horribly over the crossbar as he was bumped by teammate Karim Benzema.

It was the Portugal star who leveled seven minutes after the interval, chipping Benzema‘s through-ball over the onrushing Buffon for his eighth goal in this season’s group stage, matching the record held by Ruud van Nistelrooy, Filippo Inzaghi and Hernan Crespo.

Madrid almost took the lead four minutes later but Xabi Alonso‘s screamer crashed off the crossbar.

It was end to end action in Turin and Marchisio again went agonisingly close with an effort which beat Casillas, but was cleared off the line by Pepe.

Madrid, which had lost its past five matches against Juventus in Turin, went in front on the hour mark. Ronaldo picked out Bale on the far side of the penalty area and the Welshman squeezed a shot in between two Juventus players and into the bottom right corner.

However, Juventus was back on level terms just five minutes later when Llorente headed Caceres’ cross powerfully past Casillas’ outstretched hand.

“I think the problem in the first half was Pogba and Marchisio giving us a lot of trouble and we defended too deeply,” Ancelotti said. “The second half was very different, we pressurized them more and played further up the pitch and had much more possession.

“I don’t think we’ve yet reached our best, we’re still improving. Juventus is a solid and strong squad with good talent, I think in the end they will pass the round with us.”

Here are the Match Pictures: [fbphotos id=179267428932974]
Also Watch: Cristiano Ronaldo Breaks Messi’s 13 Goals Record in a Calender year in Champions League

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Making his first home start for the Spanish club, Gareth Bale finally brought the Bernabeu to life with a brace of goals against Sevilla but the Welshman was still upstaged by Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese star scored a memorable hat-trick in Real’s 7-3 thrashing and celebrated the first of three goals with a military salute, a mischievous riposte to Fifa President Sepp Blatter.

Earlier in the week Blatter was forced to apologise to Ronaldo after making a series of scurrilous remarks about the former Manchester United striker, including calling him the ‘Commander’.

Ronaldo replied to Blatter on the pitch against Sevilla. His response to Blatter on Wednesday night was emphatic, and he becomes only the second player in history to score a hat-trick against the same side for four consecutive seasons. Real’s legendary Alfredo Di Stefano achieved the same feat against Las Palmas in the late 1950s.

For Bale, however, the evening was just as encouraging, the first time he has shown Real fans why president Florentino Perez forked out around £85m for his services in the summer. He opened the scoring on 13 minutes, controlling Karim Benzema‘s low cross in the penalty area with one touch before curling the ball into the top corner of the Sevilla net. Ten minutes later Bale doubled Real’s advantage with a 30-yard free kick that took a wicked deflection of Alberto Moreno.

Ronaldo made it 3-0 on the half-hour mark from the penalty spot when Fernando Navarro brought down Isco but Sevilla then scored twice before the break to breathe fresh life into the La Liga clash.

But Bale took control of the game in the second half, teeing up Benzema for Real’s fourth goal and then supplying Ronaldo on the hour mark with the pass that made it 5-2 to the hosts.

Though Sevilla pulled another goal back on 63 minutes, Ronaldo scored his third of the night ten minutes later. France striker Karim Benzema, who has been struggling to find the net for both club and country, also helped himself to two goals as third-placed Real closed to within two points of Atletico Madrid ahead of their game at Granada on Thursday.

Carlo Ancelotti’s team looked far from convincing at times and let Sevilla back into the match after taking an early 3-0 lead but what eventually became a rout was a welcome boost after Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Barcelona.

Sevilla played the final quarter of an hour with 10 men after midfielder Stephane M’Bia was shown a second yellow card for catching substitute Luka Modric with a flailing arm and it was the first time in almost 50 years that 10 goals were scored in a La Liga match at the Bernabeu.

“It was quite a strange game with the amount of goals and everything that happened, some of the decisions, but we got the three points,” Real midfielder Xabi Alonso, who came on as a second-half substitute after a lengthy injury absence, told Spanish television.

“Personally I am very pleased to be back because these five months have been a big challenge,” added the Spain international.

“Little by little I will pick up the pace and start to be useful to the team again.”
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At 1-1, Levante’s Nabil El Zhar grabbed what looked to be the winner in the 86th, but Madrid substitute Alvaro Morata stepped up to level in the 90th to score the equalizer for madrid.

Still facing what would have been a costly draw, Ronaldo’s last-gasp strike hit both a defender and the post before settling into the net to crush the hosts’ hopes of taking a point.

“When Madrid plays football, it only needs five minutes to win a game,” Madrid  coach Carlo Ancelotti said.

This was Ronaldo’s second winner for Madrid on the last shot of the game in the last seven days after he netted a penalty six minutes after fulltime to grab a 2-1 win at Elche last Saturday.

The Portugal forward has seven goals in league play — one less than Messi and Atletico Madrid’s Diego Costa — and 12 goals in 10 games in all competitions this season.

The victory put Madrid back in third place, five points behind Barcelona and two points behind Atletico before it hosts Celta Vigo on Sunday.

It also saved Ancelotti from even more pressure following the loss to Atletico last weekend. Although his team’s lacklustre performance through most of the game will likely earn him more criticism.

“People need to be patient,” Morata said about the Madrid supporters who jeered Ancelotti in the last two home games. “There have been a lot of changes recently. We will play better, for sure.”[fbphotos id =172216296304754]

Without the injured Gareth Bale, Madrid could do very little to disarm Levante’s stingy defense in the first half at a Ciutat de Valencia Stadium where it had lost in two of its previous three visits.

Since suffering a 7-0 thrashing at Barcelona in the league opener, new coach Joaquin Caparros – known for his focus on defense – had steered Levante to a six-game undefeated streak that it almost kept going considering it never trailed Madrid until stoppage time.

After a foul-ridden first 45 minutes, Levante opened through striker Babacar ”Baba” Diawara in the 57th.

Madrid was caught pressing forward when Levante got a three-on-two breakaway, and midfielder Jordi Xumetra floated a cross for Baba to beat goalkeeper Diego Lopez with a right-footed volley.

Sergio Ramos leveled four minutes later when the Madrid center back raced in at the second post and slammed in Angel Di Maria’s corner kick.

Ramos was denied a possible second goal in the 65th when his header hit teammate Karim Benzema in the six-yard box.

Madrid was again caught looking to score late when El Zhar did well to fend off Ramos in the area before he spun and fired the ball into the corner.

But Morata, who scored a late winner for Madrid here last season, coolly drove in his goal before Ronaldo pulled out his late heroics.

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However, El Madrigal was pulsating for a different reason as their beloved Yellow Submarine was undefeated through the first three weeks, just a season removed from relegation and there was a feeling that Marcelino’s side could actually come away with a win.

Villarreal, powered by their faithful fans, immediately taking the fight to Real Madrid forcing Los Blancos to play their game, regardless of how many big-money players were on the pitch.

In the 21^st minute, after weaving through the Real Madrid defence, Cani was the one who opened the scoring with a brilliant strike, in dead centre, against an in-form Diego Lopez.

Lopez would go on to save Real Madrid numerous times throughout the evening, and he was justly rewarded when the €91 million Welsh midfielder, Gareth Bale stepped up and fired in the equaliser off a pass from Dani Carvajal.

From that point on, Real Madrid regained control, but Villarreal kept it even going into the break.

Following half-time, Carlo Ancelotti quickly subbed out Gareth Bale and the other debutant, former Real Sociedad defensive midfielder, Asier Illarramendi for Angel di Maria and Sami Khedira.

Cristiano Ronaldo was chomping at the bit to save his team, feeding the ball to Karim Benzema who failed to take advantage of the opportunities.

That’s when the Portuguese star took it upon himself to lead the team, scoring on a right footed shot on a fast break to put his side up 1-2.

Yet, Villarreal scratched and clawed back and in the 70^th minute, Mexican international Giovani Dos Santos saved his side with a brilliant equaliser.

Both teams continued to pepper the opposing defences, but both were unwilling to give an inch and Bale’s debut was spoiled by a Real Madrid side that took almost a half hour to get rhythm, while Marcelino’s Villarreal look incredibly deep, talented and skilled, and the early favourites for a European spot.

Match Statistics:

Full Time: Villarreal 2-2 Real Madrid

Referee: Teixeira Vitienes

Villarreal XI: Asenjo, Mario, Musacchio, Dorado, Jaume Costa, Bruno, Trigueros (71′), Cani, Aquino, Gio Dos Santos (75′), Jonathan Pereira (65′)

Goals: Cano (21′), Dos Santos (70′)

Subs: Uche (65′), Pina (71′), Perez (75′)

Yellow cards: Aquino (34′), Pina (78′)

Real Madrid XI: Diego López, Carvajal, Pepe, Ramos, Nacho, Illarramendi (62′), Modric, Gareth Bale (62′), Isco, Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema (73′)

Goals: Bale (38′), Cristiano Ronaldo (64′)

Subs: Angel Di Maria (62′), Sami Khedira (62′), Alvaro Morata (73′)

Yellow cards: Nacho (37′), Ramos (57′), Morata (77′)[fbphotos id=167143960145321]

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