Soccer

Champions League round-up: Cristiano Ronaldo scores four of Madrid’s eight

Juventus beaten by Sevilla as Atlético Madrid top their group after Benfica victory

Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates one of his goals against Malmoe FF at the Santiago Bernabeu. Photograph: EPA
Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates one of his goals against Malmoe FF at the Santiago Bernabeu. Photograph: EPA
Tue Dec 08 2015 - 22:51

Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema both scored hat-tricks as Real Madrid thrashed Malmo 8-0 to equal the highest-ever victory in the Champions League.

Ronaldo netted four times and Mateo Kovacic was also on the score sheet as the 10-time European Cup winners ran riot at the Bernabeu, matching the figures set by Liverpool in December 2007 when they beat Besiktas by the same score.

Rafael Benitez having the distinction of being the manager on both occasions.

PSG advanced from Group A behind Real and ended the phase with a 2-0 win courtesy of goals from Lucas Moura and Zlatan Ibrahimovic against Shakhtar Donetsk, who will go into the Europa League.

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Manchester City are through to the last 16 as group winners for the first time after coming from behind to beat Borussia Monchengladbach 4-2 at the Etihad Stadium.

Raheem Sterling celebrated his 21st birthday with a quickfire double to put City in front with nine minutes remaining before Wilfried Bony added the final gloss shortly afterwards.

Manuel Pellegrini’s side had trailed after the Germans replied to David Silva’s early strike through Julian Korb and Raffael to lead at half-time.

With Juventus losing at Sevilla, the result was enough for City to leapfrog the Italians to the top of Group D while Gladbach slipped to the bottom of the table and dropped out of Europe this season.

Sevilla will have the chance to defend their Europa League crown after Fernando Llorente headed the only goal of the game against his former club.

While it was a good night for City, is was not so for Manchester neighbours United, who crashed out of the competition after a 3-2 loss to Wolfsburg on a night of high drama in Germany.

Anthony Martial put the Red Devils ahead after 10 minutes, but Naldo equalised before the Bundesliga runners-up went in front following a delicious 11-pass move that was finished by Vierinha.

A late own goal by Josuha Guilavogui gave United hope but Naldo found the net shortly after to seal victory and top spot in Group B and send the injury-hit Reds out.

CSKA Moscow, despite leading through Sergei Ignashevich's 76th-minute penalty, were unable to pull off a shock win over PSV Eindhoven as Luuk de Jong and Davy Propper replied for the Dutch, and United now face the prospect of playing Europa League football in the new year.

Benfica and Atletico Madrid fought it out in Portugal to top Group C and the visitors were 2-1 victors. Saul Niguez and Luciano Vietto gave the La Liga team a two-goal cushion before substitute Konstantinos Mitroglou pulled one back.

The other game in the group between Galatasaray and Astrana finished 1-1 after Selcuk Inan quickly cancelled out Patrick Twumasi’s opener for the Kazakhstan club. It was enough to see Galatasaray finish third and qualify for the Europa League.