Champions League round-up: Cristiano Ronaldo moved three goals clear of Lionel Messi as the Champions League top scorer when he netted a hat-trick for Real Madrid in a 4-0 victory over 10-man Shakhtar Donetsk in their Group A opener on Tuesday.
A howler from Shakhtar goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov let in Karim Benzema to score the opener in the 30th minute before the visitors were reduced to 10 men five minutes into the second half when Taras Stepanenko hacked down Sergio Ramos and was shown a second yellow card.
Real doubled their lead after Ronaldo's shot hit Shakhtar captain Darijo Srna on the back in the 54th minute and the referee inexplicably awarded a penalty and the Portugal captain netted another spot kick nine minutes later after Marcio Azevedo handled in the area.
Ronaldo, who hit five past Espanyol in La Liga on Saturday, completed his hat-trick in the 81st minute when he followed up a Marcelo shot and headed into the net to take his Champions League tally to 80.
Real's victory gave new coach Rafa Benitez a winning debut but came at a cost as their Wales winger Gareth Bale limped off midway through the first half with what looked like a muscle strain in his left leg.
Angel Di Maria brought his delicate touch to Paris St Germain's game as the French champions started their Group A campaign with a routine 2-0 home win against Malmo.
Di Maria scored after four minutes and Edinson Cavani made it 2-0 with a 61st minute header in a one-way encounter at the Parc des Princes.
Playing against the club where he started his career, PSG forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic looked rusty, having played only one league game in an injury-plagued start to his season. He was replaced by Javier Pastore 15 minutes from time.
New signing Julian Draxler scored the winner as VfL Wolfsburg edged past CSKA Moscow 1-0 in their Group D opener for a winning return to Europe's premier club competition after a six-year absence.
Germany international Draxler, brought in from Schalke 04 for €35 million to replace Kevin De Bruyne who joined Manchester City, struck on the rebound in the 40th minute.
Wolfsburg dominated throughout with the Russians defending deep and the hosts could have scored more goals were it not for some sloppy finish.
Last season’s Bundesliga runners-up next play Manchester United on September 29th at Old Trafford.
- Europa League winners Sevilla scored two out of three penalties in the second half as they beat Borussia Moenchengladbach in Group D.
Kevin Gameiro scored from the spot seconds after the restart but failed to do it again two minutes later, striking his second penalty against the crossbar.
Sevilla's Argentine Ever Banega made amends with their third spot kick in the 67th minute and Yevhen Konoplyanka wrapped up the win in the 84th with a clever shot from a tight angle that beat goalkeeper Yann Sommer.
Gladbach, who have made their worst start to a Bundesliga campaign with four consecutive defeats, were no match for the speedy Spaniards and struggled to contain them throughout the entire game.
Two first-half goals from Antoine Griezmann gave Atletico Madrid a strong start to their Group C campaign with a 2-0 away win over Galatasaray.
Griezmann put the visitors ahead in the 18th minute when Juanfran sent in a cross from the right and the French international fired the ball past an outstretched Fernando Muslera in the Galatasaray goal.
Atletico doubled their lead with a second goal from Griezmann in the 25th minute when Diego Godin headed a cross from Koke back across the goal for the winger to knock the ball into the net from close range.
Champions League debutants Astana gave Benfica some worrying moments in Lisbon as they held out until half-time and then hit the post before going down to a 2-0 defeat.
Nicolas Gaitan burst through the Astana defence to provide the breakthrough six minutes into the second half and Kostas Mitroglu made the points safe for the Eagles in front of a sparse crowd at the Stadium of Light.
