Video: Cristiano Ronaldo’s overhead kick stuns Juventus - how Twitter reacted

Juventus 0 Real Madrid 3

It was surely a first in a Champions League quarter-fina and possibly any European tie – the sight of the home fans according an opponent a standing ovation for scoring against them. 

But that was the surreal sight at the Allianz Stadium in Turin last night after Cristiano Ronaldo scored one of the greatest goals in Champions League history.

It was an astonishing effort, an overhead bicycle-kick that sent the ball fizzing past a gobsmacked Gianluigi Buffon and into the back of the Juventus net.

The veteran goalkeeper gave Ronaldo a thumbs-up for his spectacular goal and his wasn’t only the Italian salute for the Real Madrid striker. The home fans gave the Portuguese a standing ovation.

“It was an unbelievable moment,” said Ronaldo after the match. “I have to say thank you a lot - grazie - to all supporters of Juventus. What they did for me was amazing… This has never happened in my career so far.”

There was little else for the Juventus fans to cheer on a night when their Champions League dream was ruthlessly crushed. Ronaldo first put the visitors one up on three minutes, poking home Isco’s cross to become the first player to score in ten consecutive Champions League matches, and his stunning overhead kick midway through the second-half doubled the Spaniards’ advantage.

Two minutes later, Juve’s Paulo Dybala was sent off for his second bookable offence (a boot into the chest of Dani Carvajal) and the Italian’s wretched night was complete when Marcelo made it 3-0 on 72 minutes, sweeping the ball past Buffon after an exchange of passes with – you’ve guessed it – Ronaldo.

Ronaldo may be 33 and approaching the twilight of his remarkable career, but his goalscoring powers remain undimmed. He has scored 19 goals in his last nine games for Real and netted 16 goals in his last ten outings in the Champions League.

However, despite his two goals in Turin, the Portuguese striker was annoyed with himself for failing to score a hat-trick – Buffon denying him with a sharp save and Ronaldo then striking the ball over the crossbar from ten yards.

But to criticise would be querulous on an evening when Juventus lost at home for only the second time in 75 matches, leaving manager Massimiliano Allegri deflated but not devastated.

“There is absolutely nothing to blame the boys for,” he said. “We faced an extraordinary team with probably the best player in the world. For the first hour we also made a good game. But everything happened against us. They are really devastating, otherwise they would not have won so much in the past few years.”

It was “almost impossible” to overturn the deficit in the return leg in Madrid next Wednesday, he added.

Few would take issue with Allegri’s assessment, not when Real have Ronaldo.

“Cristiano Ronaldo is different,” said his manager, Zinedine Zidane: “He’s a different player to everyone else and he always has this desire to do something extraordinary in the Champions League. He never rests on his laurels.”

How Twitter users reacted to Ronaldo’s superb goal:

Sevilla 1 Bayern Munich 2

In last night’s other quarter-final first-leg tie, Bayern Munich came from behind to beat Sevilla 2-1 at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium.

Pablo Sarabia gave the Spaniards the lead after 32 minutes, but a Jesus Navas own goal pulled Bayern level eight minutes before the break.

Franck Ribery, whose cross led to the equaliser, then set up Thiago Alcantara to head home the winner on 68 minutes.