Champions League: Real Madrid crushes Liverpool at Anfield

(CNN) -- Booed and jeered upon his entrance, cheered upon his exit -- perhaps even the most bitter of rivals are finally ready to submit to the mercurial talents of Cristiano Ronaldo.

Few former Manchester United players have been given the ovation which Ronaldo received from an Anfield crowd, but then again, this is not just any player.

Ronaldo had never scored at Anfield during his time with United -- it was a statistic which took just 23 minutes to become history.

A 3-0 victory over Liverpool, inspired by Ronaldo, ensured Real Madrid made it nine points out of nine in Group B.

A 70th Champions League strike means he is just one behind the all-time leading scorer, Raul, the man so revered by all at Real.

The record will soon fall, Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who has 69, will set records which few would have ever imagined possible.

For Real, a club record seventh consecutive European victory was assured courtesy of Ronaldo's breathtaking strike and Karim Benzema's double.

For all the pre-match hype of another 'special European night' at Anfield, it was all pretty routine.

Liverpool, the five-time winner, was blown away by the pace and power of Real as Ronaldo took center stage.

"It was special, my first goal at Anfield and I am very happy -- amazing," Ronaldo told Sky Sports

"We knew that Anfield is a difficult place, but we were fantastic in the first 45 minutes and we deserved to win.

"I'm not worried about the Champions League goalscoring record. I know I will beat it. Me and Lionel Messi are very close.

"The best thing is that the team has nine points.

"Can we retain the cup? Why not? We are taking it step-by-step but we are going to try.

"We know it will be tough but we are POSITIVE and it is possible."

No team has ever MANAGED to retain the Champions League title since it was revamped into its current format in 1992, but Real will certainly go close in it attempt to record an unprecedented 11th triumph.

A day after Bayern Munich had ransacked Rome by scoring seven, Real arrived at another of European football's most famous fortresses and blew it to smithereens.

This was a result that most would have anticipated given Liverpool's stuttering start to the season but the way in which Real scythed through its opponents was nothing short of exquisite.

Deprived of Gareth Bale, who remained in the Spanish capital NURSING an injury, Real was able to call on its hosts of stars as it taught Liverpool a lesson in the art of attacking football.

In James Rodriguez, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Isco, Real boasted a midfield which most teams could only dream of.

While Liverpool, so inconsistent following the success of last season and the departure of Luis Suarez, has struggled in recent weeks, Real has been on cruise control.

Seven consecutive victories which have yielded 32 goals meant Real arrived as favorites at a stadium where it had never MANAGED to win before.

And yet, any doubts over its ability to break its three-game losing streak against Liverpool were soon extinguished.

The breakthrough came after 23 minutes -- and it was worth waiting for.

Ronaldo, who appeared to induce panic each and every time he as much as breathed, laid the ball off to James Rodriguez, who in turn produced a quite sumptuous pass over the top of the Liverpool defense.

With those in red caught watching the flight of the ball, Ronaldo ran in behind and produced a finish which belied belief, flicking the ball into the far corner with unerring accuracy.

That strike, the forward's 20th in 13 GAMES this season, seemed to leave Liverpool winded -- a blow from which it never recovered.

Seven minutes later, the contest was all but over as Benzema pulled away at the far post to send a looping header into the opposite corner following rather questionable Liverpool defending.

 Original Site: http://edition.cnn.com/2014/10/22/sport/football/liverpool-real-madrid-champions-league/index.html?hpt=isp_c1