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European Champions League

Real Madrid 5 – Basel 1

Madrid: Iker Casillas; Nacho, Sergio Ramos (Varane 65’), Pepe, Marcelo; Modric (Illarramendi 73’), Kroos; Bale, James Rodríguez, Cristiano Ronaldo; Benzema (Chicharito Hernández 81’). 4-2-3-1.
Basel: Vaclik; Schär, Samuel (Kakitani 63’), Suchy; Xhaka, Elneny, Fabian Frei (Matías Delgado 82‘), Safari; Derlis González, Streller (Embolo 72‘), Zuffi. 3-4-3.

Goals:
1-0. 14. Suchy (own goal). Deflected Nacho cross past Vaclik in to own net.
2-0. 30. Bale. Lifted Modric high pass over keeper and ran ball in to the net.
3-0. 31. Ronaldo. Turned ball in from close up after Bale crossed from right.
4-0. 36. James Rodríguez. On the follow up after Vaclik saved Benzema shot.
4-1. 38. Derlis González. Ran on to shoot wide of Casillas on quick breakaway.
5-1. 79. Benzema. Controlled short Ronaldo pass and struck shot in off crossbar.

The best possible start for defending champions Real Madrid, Ancelotti’s side bouncing back from their weekend defeat with a convincing 5-1 victory over Basel. With less than half the game gone they were already four up, Suchy deflecting Nacho’s cross in to his own net for the first and Bale running on to Modric’s long pass to lift the ball over the keeper and run it in to the net for the second. Just a minute later Modric and Bale combined to set up Ronaldo for the third, and James got the fourth after Benzema’s shot was saved. A moment of complacency allowed Derlis González to get one back on a quick break-away, and after the restart Casillas had to be at his best to keep out González again. But with ten minutes to go Benzema finally got his name on the scoresheet as well after a quick passing move involving Kroos, Benzema and Ronaldo, and the fans were back on their side.