Champions League/ Valverde hat-trick puts Real Madrid in command against Man City
Madrid – Federico Valverde produced a stunning first-half hat-trick as Real Madrid took a giant step towards the Champions League quarter-finals with a 3-0 demolition of Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabéu.
The Uruguay international became the first player from his country to score a treble in the competition, silencing any doubts about Madrid’s recent form with a virtuoso performance in Wednesday’s last-16 first leg.
Valverde opened the scoring after 20 minutes, rounding goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to finish a swift counter-attack.
He doubled the lead seven minutes later, drilling home with his weaker left foot after Vinícius Júnior’s pass deflected into his path.
The crowning moment arrived three minutes before half-time. Valverde brilliantly controlled Brahim Díaz’s lobbed pass, flicked the ball over Marc Guéhi’s challenge and volleyed past Donnarumma to complete his treble.
City had started brightly, with Jérémy Doku and Antoine Semenyo testing Madrid’s resolve, but they were torn apart repeatedly on the break.
Vinícius missed a second-half penalty after Donnarumma brought him down, but the damage was already done.
Pep Guardiola’s side face a monumental task in next Tuesday’s second leg in Manchester.
The defeat completed a miserable two days for English clubs in the Spanish capital following Tottenham’s 5-2 thrashing by Atlético Madrid.
