APOEL Nicosia vs Real Madrid: 5 Key Talking Points

#4 APOEL's defensive line drowns in confusion and gets shredded to bits

Pretty much explains it

If it was Vinicius' awkward clearance that led to the first goal, it was their indolence that led to the second as Real Madrid tore them apart down the middle with a high-octane counterattack.

The third goal went in an even worse fashion as three defenders decided to stake their claim on a corner ball that was going to end up on the head of Raphael Varane. As Varane flicked the ball into the 6-yard box, 3 APOEL defenders were cheaply taken out of the game leaving Nacho with not much to do but extend his right foot to send the ball into the back of the net.

The fourth goal came from yet another exhilarating counter. Cristiano Ronaldo did the kind of damage he does at his very best as he broke Vouros' ankles with some neat trickery before selflessly squaring it to Benzema to send it into the net without a tinge of doubt.

But APOEL's defence was only growing weaker on the knees.

Rueda left his mark on the game with a weak backpass to Perez which barely crawled its way into the box. Benzema got to it first but Perez somehow stuck a leg out to deflect it into the path of Ronaldo who shot with his left foot without thinking twice and found the unguarded net with ease.

4 - Real Madrid have scored four goals in a first half of a #UCL away game for the first time ever. Juggernaut. pic.twitter.com/GlCroF0iFH

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) November 21, 2017