Behind him, Atletico Madrid’s beaten players trudged from the turf in Turin’s Allianz Stadium. Little more than 90 minutes earlier, they had taken to the field with a two-goal advantage over Juve and well set for the 2018/19 Champions League quarter-finals. Then, not for the first time, Ronaldo happened.
Beneath the headlines – a dramatic comeback, a record eighth Champions League hat-trick – the Portuguese had continued what appeared to be a personal terrorisation of Diego Simeone’s side. His first treble for Juventus also comprised career goals 23, 24 and 25 against Los Rojiblancos, and represented his fourth hat-trick against Real Madrid’s city rivals.