Good work from Navas, who has had almost nothing to do throughout. A speculative shot takes a deflection that changes the direction of the ball and forces the keeper to stick out a hand to divert it over.
90' +1
Madrid are playing out the last few minutes in complete control, passing the ball around and making Shakhtar expend what little energy they have left. The visitors just want this one to be over now.
89'
Ronaldo tried to cut in from the left to strike, but he overran the ball a little and the defence can recover it. Shakhtar attack, and Srna tries to angle a ball to the near post but it's too far behind his teammates.
87'
Madrid work a spell of possession around the edge of the area, and the ball breaks for Benzema just inside the box after decent work from Kovacic. However, his strike is smothered by the keeper.
85'
WHAT A SAVE FROM PYATOV! Ronaldo does excellently to cushion a header into the path of Benzema, and the Frenchman lashes an effort on goal that is pushed around the post by the keeper!
83'
This has been completely comfortable for Madrid throughout. There has been a conspicuous lack of quality from Shakhtar in the final third, and they never stood a chance once down to 10 men.
81'
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored a goal for Real Madrid!
Bernard enters the game and replaces O. Hladkyi.
RONALDO MAKES IT FOUR! Hat-trick for the Portuguese, who converts from close range after Marcelo saw his shot blocked. That's eight goals in two games now for him.
80'
M. Malyshev gets yellow.
79'
Malyshev has a rare chance to pull one back for the visitors, but his attempt from long range never stopped rising. Moments later, he's booked for going in clumsily on Carvajal.
76'
BENZEMA! He should have had a hat-trick by now. Isco once again pulls the strings with a great shimmy and cross down the left-hand side. There's a free header on offer for the Frenchman, but he plants it over.
Minute
Description
75'
V. Kovalenko enters the game and replaces Marlos.
O. Kucher gets yellow.
74'
Ronaldo latches onto a long ball over the top and there's only one thing on his mind, but his low shot bounces into the wrong side of the net. I won't bet against him completing his hat-trick though, there's still time.
72'
Isco weaves his way into space at the top of the box and attempts to pick out Ronaldo to complete his hat-trick, but the ball is too close to Pyatov, who grabs it just in front of the Portuguese.
70'
Benzema could have done better there after picking up the ball on the right side of the area from Modric's feed. The Frenchman scuffed his shot and it went wide of the top corner. About 20 minutes to go.
67'
M. Malyshev enters the game and replaces Taison.
Taison has departed for Maksim Malyshev in a change for the visitors. What is striking to me is the lack of emphasis being put on stopping the deeper runners in the Madrid ranks. It's almost too much focus on the likes of Ronaldo.
65'
It's all one-way traffic at the moment with Madrid camped around the edge of the Shakhtar penalty area. The visitors have all 10 men camped in their own defensive third as they bid to keep the scoreline down.
63'
Penalty goal scored by Cristiano Ronaldo for Real Madrid!
ANOTHER MADRID PENALTY! Azevedo is adjudged to have handled the ball in the area. This time, it's a clearer call for the referee to make as the ball struck the defender's arm quite cleanly.
RONALDO DOES IT AGAIN! The Madrid attacker makes it seven goals in the week with another spot-kick, buried in the same corner as last time. Madrid are cruising now.
61'
Great chance for Madrid again as Ronaldo fires a free-kick towards goal from the edge of the area, bouncing the ball onto the roof of the net. This could get a whole lot worse for the Ukrainians.
59'
Nacho enters the game and replaces Sergio Ramos.
Nacho has entered the fray for Ramos as departs, still clutching the shoulder that he appeared to tweak during the foul by Stepanenko that got him sent off. That's all three subs used by Madrid now.
57'
A tempting cross from Srna is hooked to the back post and is BEGGING to be converted. Gladkiy tries to oblige with a header but he can't keep it on target! That was a great chance!
55'
Penalty goal scored by Cristiano Ronaldo for Real Madrid!
RONALDO MAKES NO MISTAKE! He drills the penalty to the goalkeeper's right but there's a sense of injustice after the softness of the initial call by the referee.
54'
D. Srna gets yellow.
PENALTY TO REAL MADRID! Benzema shows amazing trickery to fool two defenders down the left, before cutting the ball back to Ronaldo inside. The Portuguese slams one on goal, but Srna is deemed to have handled the ball during his block, even though it appeared to slam off his back!
52'
Madrid are in complete control now, passing the opposition into oblivion. Srna has to block an attempt from Ronaldo as the home side swarm all over the opposition. They're really feeling that man disadvantage.
50'
T. Stepanenko gets a second yellow card and is sent off.
RED CARD TO SHAKHTAR! Stepanenko picks up a second yellow card for a foul on Sergio Ramos. It was a risky challenge, particularly as he was already on a booking. He slid in and left the skipper in a heap. Shakhtar now have a mountain to climb.
48'
KUCHER WITH A CRUCIAL TOUCH! Benzema leads a two-on-one break and has Kucher back-pedaling with Ronaldo peeling away to the far side. He tries to slide in his Portuguese team-mate, but the pass is intercepted by the defender, preventing what looked like a sure-fire second!
46'
Pepe enters the game and replaces R. Varane.
Off we go again!
45' +1
That's the end of the first half.
44'
Ronaldo can't convery from Marcelo's cross and moments later, he slides a ball in behind the defence for Benzema, who in turn is unable to shake off the attention of a marker and make a connection.
42'
Shakhtar haven't had too many positive moments but they can look for Azevedo out on the left, who has usually been able to get the better of Carvajal off the ball when making a run.
40'
Modric drills a shot wide from 20 yards after a momentary lapse at the back from Taison, as Madrid continue to probe their way to a second goal before the interval. Five minutes to go.
38'
Apart from Ronaldo and the full-backs, there's no Madrid players looking to make runs in behind the defence. Too many playmakers on the pitch at the moment, it seems. Will Benitez change things at the break?
36'
Kovacic picks up possession about 35 yards from goal and races forward, only to see his space for a shot evaporate at the last second under pressure. Half time approaching now.
34'
Madrid have a decent free-kick chance from about 25 yards out. Ronaldo eschews a shot to clip one in for Ramos instead, but the defender gets called for a foul, despite going flying himself.
32'
T. Stepanenko gets yellow.
It appears that Bale will not be able to continue, as Kovacic comes on in his place. Either the former Inter man or Modric will now assume the No. 10 role behind Benzema. Moments later, Stepanenko is carded for pulling back Ronaldo.
31'
M. Kovačić enters the game and replaces G. Bale.
30'
K. Benzema has scored a goal for Real Madrid!
WHAT A GIFT! Pyatov surrenders the first goal by dropping a cross from Isco, which allows Benzema the opportunity to tap home! Madrid have the lead on the half-hour mark!
28'
Taison just squeezes in ahead of the first defender to get on the end of a pass from Teixeira, but Varane then covers to clear the ball in time. Moments later, there appears to be a problem for Bale, who is down.
25'
The home fans aren't too impressed with what they're seeing, with a very nervy atmosphere at the Bernabeu at present. Elsewhere, Paris Saint-Germain have taken a 1-0 lead against Malmo in the other Group A clash.
23'
Madrid are playing a bit of a dangerous game at the back at times. It's admirable that they have the confidence to pass it among their defensive players and try to play their way out of trouble, but Shakhtar's pressing has come threateningly close more than once.
21'
The game has settled into a bit of a lull here as Madrid continue to try to break down the opposition. Shakhtar have acquitted themselves well, however, and have the pace and trickery to trouble the home side.
19'
Nervous moment for Navas as he lets the ball run dangerously towards the far post before eventually shepherding it away from goal. The crowd didn't like that one bit, especially as it came on the back of a sustained spell of pressure from the hosts.
17'
Now it's Ronaldo's turn to try to get on the scoresheet as he lashes one on goal from the left, but he never connected with it properly and it goes wide of the target. Madrid starting to ramp it up.
15'
SHOULD HAVE BEEN 1-0! Ronaldo does brilliantly to mummify his marker on the turn, and slips in Benzema with the perfect ball. The Frenchman rounds the keeper and has an empty net to aim at via a slight angle, but he can't keep it down and slides it over the bar!
13'
And just as I say that, Shakhtar switch off for a second, which leads to a good attack for Madrid! Isco works the ball to the back post where Bale delicately tries to convert, but Pyatov covers the space in the end and smothers!
11'
Shakhtar aren't looking fazed by Madrid here in the early exchanges. They're quite happy to let them have the ball in midfield and take their chances by pouncing on mistakes and gaps left in defence.
9'
Azevedo has looked lively so far, and he profits from a stumble by Carvajal to race goalside of the full-back. He fires one for the top corner on the near side but misses the target from a good position.
7'
Another corner for Madrid and another header that goes off the mark. Kroos finds Varane for a looping attempt that doesn't force Pyatov into a save. Fairly quiet start to this one.
5'
Varane has his pocket picked in his own back yard, with Marlos getting a hold of possession right at the byline in the Madrid area. Teixeira is making a run to the near post, but he can't sort out his feet in time to connect with the ball.
3'
Real Madrid have dominated possession to start this game. They win an early corner, which is played short to Isco, who shapes to shoot with his right, only for the ball to sail over the top of the bar.
1'
Off we go!
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Champions League clash between Real Madrid and Shakhtar Donetsk. Europe's premier competition is back for another season with the 2014 winners facing off against the always-dangerous Ukrainians. I'm Keeghann Sinanan, your guide for all the action.
Group A also features Paris Saint-Germain and Malmo, with tonight's meeting in the Spanish capital the first-ever continental clash between Madrid and Shakhtar. Rafa Benitez takes charge of Los Blancos for the first time in the UCL, with Florentino Perez and Co. surely wanting the former Inter and Liverpool manager to build on their 10 European crowns so far.
Madrid come into this match on the back of a 6-0 drubbing of Espanyol - with all but one of the goals scored by Cristiano Ronaldo, who put what was a (for him) drought of two scoreless games to bed. This is the 20th group stage campaign for Los Blancos since the competition switched to the Champions League format in the early 90's.
Shakhtar themselves are in the group stages for the 11th time, but endured qualifying-round wins over Fenerbahce and Rapid Vienna to get here. The Ukrainians made it to the round of 16 last season, but were trounced by Bayern 7-0 on aggregate. A 0-0 draw in the first leg could not be built upon as the Bavarians ran riot with seven goals at the Allianz Arena. Their best-ever placement in this tournament came in 2010-11, when Barca beat them in the quarter-finals.
Real Madrid (4-2-3-1): Navas; Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Marcelo; Modric, Kroos; Isco, Bale, Ronaldo; Benzema.
Benitez makes two changes from the side that beat Espanyol, with Raphael Varane coming in for Pepe in defence, while Toni Kroos replaces Casemiro in midfield. Gareth Bale tucks in behind Karim Benzema, with Isco and Ronaldo flanking. Mateo Kovacic doesn't get his first start once again as he is named to the bench.
Shakhtar thrashed Metalist 5-0 last time out, and long-serving coach Mircea Lucescu has made one alteration to that team. Captain Darijo Srna is back in the side, as Vasyl Kobin makes way. Vice captain Alex Teixeira is one of five Brazilians in the starting lineup for the Ukrainians.
Pyatov's terrible mistake gifted Benzema the only goal of the game in what has been something of a stop-start contest so far. Madrid haven't been at their best and have seen Bale depart with injury, but have the lead that their play just about warrants. Still plenty to play for though, with Shakhtar showing flashes of ability when exploiting mistakes. Stay tuned for the restart soon.
The referee ends things at the Bernabeu, and Madrid wrap up another comfortable win. That's 10 goals in two games for them, with Ronaldo grabbing eight of them, including a treble tonight. Los Blancos are off to a winning start in Group A - where PSG have also defeated Malmo.
That's all from me, Keeghann Sinanan here, signing off and wishing you all the best.
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