Real Madrid vs. Atlético Madrid, 2017 Champions League: Live coverage and score updates

It is, quite frankly, not fair.

There are many ways for footballers to age. Some depart acrimoniously in a cloud of ill-feeling, refusing to go gently into that good substitute’s bench. Others go more gracefully, shifting positions and dropping down the leagues. Perhaps they start to exchange on-field contributions for a more paternal role, becoming a wise head or an inspiration.

Everyone expected a close match between crosstown rivals Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal tie, but Cristiano Ronaldo had other ideas. The Portuguese megastar scored yet another hat trick to give Real a massive 3-0 lead, potentially winning the tie at the Santiago Bernabéu before Atlético even get a chance to play at home.

The first half started with Real Madrid coming out on fire, screaming up the pitch and going right at Atlético Madrid’s goal to try and take an early lead. After a few miscues, they managed to do exactly that, with Ronaldo coming up with a huge header in the 10th minute after a half-cleared cross was sent back in by Casemiro for Ronaldo to put away. There were some questions as to whether Ronaldo should have been called offside on the initial pass before the clearance, but in the end he wasn’t and the goal stood.

Cristiano Ronaldo may be getting older, but it’s only becoming harder to find superlatives with which to describe him. The Portuguese attacker has once again proven decisive in a huge game, netting a hat-trick in the first leg of Real Madrid’s Champions League semifinal first leg against their cross-town rivals Atlético.

The first goal was a fine towering header, with Atléti defender Stefan Savić standing no chance of matching Ronaldo in the air:

The teams are out for the first leg of the Champions League semifinal between Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu. The big news is that there is no news: Both Zinedine Zidane and Diego Simeone have set their stalls out as expected, with neither club having any late injury concerns.

For Real, the continued absence of Pepe is offset by the recent return of Raphaël Varane to the center of defence. He pairs Sergio Ramos at the heart of the back four. Toni Kroos and Luka Modrić flank Casemiro in midfield, while Gareth Bale’s ongoing injury problems mean Isco maintains his spot alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema in the attacking trident.

It’s been a long road in the Champions League this season, but if recent history is any indication, we’re still going to be in for a treat when Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid square off in the semifinal round starting on Tuesday. That recent history is decidedly against Atlético, though, and they’ll be eager to see what they can do to rectify that history in this tie.

Twice in the last three seasons, Atlético Madrid have made the Champions League final, only to fall at the final measure against their crosstown rivals Real Madrid. This time, though, Atléti have the benefit of playing a two-legged tie that will finish in the Calderon, an advantage they will look to take hold of with a strong opening-leg performance at the Bernabeu.

The Champions League semifinals get underway Tuesday with a derby, as Real Madrid play host to crosstown rivals Atlético. It’s a rerun of last season’s final in Milan, which Real eventually won on penalties after the game finished 1-1 after extra time. A similarly close encounter is anticipated this time around.

If league positioning is anything to go by, Real head in as favourites. They’re 10 points clear of Atléti in the La Liga table, and are still in pole position to go on and lift the domestic title. That said, there are few teams in world football as able to raise their game for the big occasion as Diego Simeone’s Atléti, whose counter-attacking style has yielded remarkable results over the last few seasons. They’ve got reason to be confident heading into this one.