Rodrygo was sensational, providing three goals and an assist, as Real Madrid completed back-to-back victories over Galatasaray with a 6-0 win at the Bernabeu on Wednesday night.
Zinedine Zidane’s men climbed back to reckoning with a fine thrashing of the Turkish champions in match day 4 of the UEFA Champions League.
A hattrick from Rodrygo – on a historic night – and a strike from the penalty spot from Sergio Ramos put the home side three goals in front in the opening 15 minutes.
Karim Benzema poured on the agony with his a brace of his own either side of the break to secure three precious points for Los Merengues.
After stumbling to a lame 0-0 at home to Real Betis, Real knew nothing but a victory could appease their demanding fans.
The night started brilliantly for Los Blancos as barely four minutes in, the Santiago Bernabeu was celebrating the opener. Rodrygo held his composure in the box and expertly placed a left-footed strike into the left-bottom corner from a pin-piint Marcelo cross.
That strike helped Rodrygo become the youngest ever Brazilian goalscorer in Champions League history at just 18 years and 301 days.
Rodrygo is the youngest Brazilian player to score in the Champions League
He's 18 years of age#UCL #RealMadrid pic.twitter.com/eoP9qENMVp
— SportsWaka (@sports_waka) November 6, 2019
The teenager then doubled his effort two minutes later with a header from close range. Marcelo again was the architect as he raided down the left before cutting back to deliver a cross in. It’s precise for the unmarked Rodrygo in the middle and he guided his header away from Muslera into the right corner of the net.
Shortly after, it was 3-0 to Madrid after VAR spotted a penalty. Madrid skipper Sergio Ramos took the penalty kick, finishing in style with a cheeky panenka kick over the dive of Muslera into the roof of the net.
And just before the break, the demolition job was completed with a fourth Rojiblancos goal.
Galatasaray’s full-back Nagatomo played an offload straight to Rodrygo on the edge of the box. The young Brazilian forward bursted into the right inside channel and sent a low cross into the middle. Benzema latched on to the delivery and guided a low strike into the net from close range.
Fatih Terim’s men put up a better defensive effort to keep the scoreline respectable for most of the second half but Real Madrid still added a fifth goal with ten minutes left to play on the clock.
Benzema was on hand to tap home a Dani Carvajal’s ball across the face of goal with ease after the home side cut open Galatasaray down the right flank as Isco found the run of the full-back.
That also was Benzema’s 50th Champions League goal for Madrid.
Deep into stoppage time, Rodrygo claimed his hat trick and Real’s sixth goal to put the icing on the cake for Zidane’s men on a perfect night in Europe.
