Federico Valverde scored a sensational first-half hat-trick as injury-hit Real Madrid overpowered Manchester City 3-0 in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.
Much had been made of the Spanish giants’ lengthy casualty list for Wednesday’s clash against their familiar rivals at the Bernabeu, with the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo among the big-name absences.
Yet it merely provided the opportunity for captain Valverde to step up and the Uruguay midfielder ripped City apart with a clinical display of finishing.
He scored three goals in the space of 22 minutes and things might have been worse for Pep Guardiola’s side had Gianluigi Donnarumma not saved a second-half penalty from Vinicius Junior.
It rounded off a dismal two days for English sides in the Spanish capital after Tottenham’s 5-2 hammering by Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.
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