Real Madrid turned in an astonishing attacking performance against Champions League minnows Malmö FF on Wednesday, icing their group stage cake with an 8-0 victory. It was a performance in which Cristiano Ronaldo unsurprisingly stole the show, scoring four goals as he broke yet another tournament record.
The hosts were utterly dominant from the very first whistle, and went close to opening the scoring several times before they eventually did in the 12th minute. An initial attempt by Isco was cleared off the line, though only as far as a grateful Karim Benzema who tucked the rebound into the back of the net.
He added a second just over 10 minutes later, leaping above Malmö full-back Anton Tinnerholm to convert a fine Ronaldo cross. The Portuguese winger almost turned scorer within moments, though he couldn't make a clean contact on Isco's cross and the ball went behind for a goal kick.
However, it was only a matter of time before the tournament's all-time top scorer got in on the act, and his goal came with just over five minutes of the half left. His free-kick wasn't the most venomous, but still had enough to beat goalkeeper Johan Wiland and put the game out of sight before the break.
Ronaldo should've scored a brace within a couple of minutes, though after some excellent assist play by Isco, somehow skied the ball over the crossbar from point-blank range. By the break, Malmö were lucky their deficit was only three.
It didn't stay that way long into the second half -- less than two minutes, to be precise. A shot by Danilo was charged down but the ball broke fortuitously to Ronaldo, who made amends for his earlier profligacy by tucking the ball inside the back of the net.
Within minutes he had completed his hat-trick, and broken another Champions League record. He took receipt of a low cross from the right and worked the space to fire a low shot at goal, which slipped past Wiland and into the back of the net. It was a record 10th group stage strike for the Portuguese winger, who raised the bar set by former Shakhtar Donetsk man Luiz Adriano.
10 very quickly became 11 for Ronaldo, with Malmö's defence making things once again embarrassingly easy for their hosts. Benzema tidly played himself out of a corner and sent Isco into space, with the Spaniard pulling the ball back across goal for Ronaldo to net a fourth on the night.
Madrid added a seventh with just over 20 minutes left, with Ronaldo quite rightly deciding to let someone else in on the act. A smart run and cross from Jesé down the right popped out for the advancing Mateo Kovačić, who smashed the ball home from the edge of the penalty area and compound Malmö's misery.
However, they weren't done there. A catastrophic giveaway deep in midfield allowed Benzema to be sent clean through on goal, and he wasn't about to pass up the chance to complete his hat-trick. He lashed the ball high into the back of Wiland's goal, and scored a record-equalling eighth for Real Madrid. That, mercifully, was how it ended.
Real Madrid: Casilla; Arbeloa, Nacho, Pepe (Marcelo 53'), Danilo; Kovačić (Cheryshev 76'), Casemiro, James (Jesé 65'); Ronaldo, Benzema, Isco.
Goals: Benzema (12', 24', 74'), Cristiano Ronaldo (39', 47', 50', 58'), Kovačić (70').
Malmö FF: Wiland; Yotún, Carvalho, Árnason, Tinnerholm; Sana (Mehmeti 64'), Adu, Lewicki, Rakip (Kroon 77'); Đurđić (Rodić 46'), Berget.
Goals: None.