4 Truths: Cristiano Ronaldo is a machine and Marcelo the unsung hero

ByEurosport

Updated 18/04/2017 at 22:22 GMT

Four truths after an enthralling night of Champions League football...

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring their third goal to complete his hat trick

Image credit: Reuters

Cristiano Ronaldo: A complete machine

Cristiano Ronaldo came into last week’s fixture against Bayern with a pretty paltry two Champions League goals.

A week later he is sitting on seven.

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The guy is a complete machine and almost to prove the point he decided to score the perfect hat-trick to ease his Real Madrid side into the semi-final stage.

[VIDEO - Ronaldo scores ‘perfect hat-trick’ to send Real Madrid through]

Cristiano Ronaldo scores ‘perfect hat-trick’ to send Real Madrid through

Image credit: Getty Images

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Marcelo a serious unsung hero

Marcelo made two goalline clearances against Bayern Munich that reaped plenty of praise – and rightly so.

[BEST TWEETS - 'Marcelo is a god!' - Fans can't believe defender's goalline heroics]

The 28-year-old signed for Madrid back in 2007 and has been a revelation ever since but, with the galaxy of stars at the club, rarely gets the praise he deserves.

Yet, Tuesday night’s performance aptly summed up why he is the best left-back in the world: he prevented two clear-cut goals and set up one for Ronaldo. Incredible.

Toni Kroos of Real Madrid, Arjen Robben of Bayern Munich, Sergio Ramos of Real Madrid, Marcelo of Real Madrid, goalkeeper Keylor Navas of Real Madridduring the UEFA Champions League quarter final match between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich

Image credit: Getty Images

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Atletico Madrid look potential winners

Atletico Madrid look like potential winners of the Champions League after a typical dogged display to see off the challenge of Leicester.

As in previous campaigns they have the defensive organisation and work rate which saw the Foxes create little in the first half and deal with the pressure from Craig Shakespeare’s side after the break.

And they now have more offensive weapons to call upon, leaving Kevin Gameiro and Fernando Torres on the bench. After two defeats in the final in recent years, Simeone's side will be desperate to go one step further this year.

Saul

Image credit: Getty Images

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Leicester City-Atletico Madrid tie settled in Madrid

Atleti are an absolute machine of a side. They never stop working and the key moment in this tie came when Antoine Griezmann coolly dispatched a rather fortuitous penalty in Madrid last week.

It set the return leg up perfectly for Atleti to put the game beyond doubt with an away goal sucker punch, and that is exactly as it panned out.

Jamie Vardy may have given them hope but a cursory glance at the stats suggested it was false hope, as it still left the hosts needing a further two goals. Diego Simeone’s men have conceded three goals twice this season. Twice in 42 games.