Throughout his illustrious career, no team endured more at the hands of Cristiano Ronaldo than Atlético de Madrid.
Ronaldo netted an astonishing 25 goals against the city rival, thwarting Diego Simeone’s squad from securing multiple Champions League titles.
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On this day in 2017, he exemplified his dominance with a magnificent hat-trick at the Bernabéu.
The Portuguese superstar showcased his remarkable finishing skills, executing three brilliant strikes past a helpless Jan Oblak.
The goals effectively sealed Atlético’s fate in the Champions League semi-final as Real advanced toward their second title in a row during their historic three-peat.
This season can be regarded as the zenith of Ronaldo’s career, as he also scored five goals against Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals and two against Juventus in the final.
In 2018, Ronaldo joined Juve and once again bested Atlético in his debut season—this time with another hat-trick.
There are multiple reasons behind his acclaim as the greatest player in Champions League history.