5 Footballers who have silenced the Santiago Bernabeu

The Santiago Bernabeu is one of the most famous football venues in the world. The Bernabeu has been the home to Spanish and European giants Real Madrid since 1947 and it is one of the toughest and most intimidating football stadiums in the world.

It might not have the atmosphere that the likes of San Siro, Maracana or Stadio Olimpico boast of having but it has all the factors to make opposing teams crumble at the prospect of playing there.

The Bernabeu's capacity of over 80,000 fans and the fear factor that the team's quality instills onto the mind of opposing players are enough to cause a lot of intimidation on players of the opposing teams.

However, some few players have managed to pull out some memorable individual performances at this venue. I have taken a look at 5 players who have differed all odds and pull out performances that have managed to silence over 80,000 home fans at the Santiago Bernabeu.

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#5 Yossi Benayoun (Liverpool, UEFA Champions League 2009)

Benayoun delivered the hammer blow and silenced over 80,000 fans in the Bernabeu

The Israeli International who currently plays for Maccabi Petah Tikva might seem the odd one out of the list but his performance for Liverpool against the Los Blancos in the 2009 Champions league round of 16 suggests otherwise.

In Liverpool side consisting of the likes of Dirk Kuyt, Fernando Torres and Xabi Alonso, it was Benayoun who stepped up and punished Real Madrid with an 82nd-minute header.

Liverpool who had been given a huge blow earlier through the injury of their skipper Steven Gerrard who was only fit to make the game approached the game with the defensive compactness common under manager Rafa Benitez and frustrated Real Madrid who struggled to break their solidity at the Bernabeu.

It was not until the 82nd minute of the game that Benayoun rose up and fired home a fine header past Casillas from a Fabio Aurelio's cross and silenced over 80,000 home fans cementing Liverpool's hopes of progressing past the last 16.

Liverpool who did well to prevent Madrid from creating clear-cut chances throughout the game despite their dominance returned to Anfield with a healthy away goal courtesy of their unlikely hero.

#4 Thierry Henry (Arsenal, UEFA Champions League 2006)

Henry's amazing solo goal just two minutes into the second half all but confirmed Arsenal's triumph at the Bernabeu

Arsenal produced one of the most memorable performances against the Spanish giants in the 2006 Champions league round of 16 and became the first English team to win at the Bernabeu thanks to Thierry Henry's masterclass before the hour mark.

Henry's amazing solo goal just two minutes into the second half all but confirmed Arsenal's triumph at the Bernabeu.

Leading a young Arsenal side consisting of the likes of Reyes, Emanuel Eboue and teenage midfielder Fabregas against a complete galactico team of that time, Henry's stunning solo run and finish was enough to silence the home of one of the greatest clubs in Europe.

Receiving a pass from Fabregas, Henry began by out-muscling Ronaldo just in front of the halfway line then dazzled past Alvaro Mejja and Guti before going passed Sergio Ramos and finally slotted past Iker Casillas in an expert manner. This went on to be one of the greatest solo goals in UEFA Champions League history.

#3 Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus, UEFA Champions League 2008)

Del Piero who was 33 at that time produced arguably his greatest ever Champions League display in his career at the Spanish capital

Producing a masterclass at the Bernabeu is one thing but receiving an ovation by the home fans is something every footballer dreams of.

Perhaps Del Piero is one of those few players who has managed to receive a standing ovation at the Santiago Bernabeu. Del Piero who was 33 at that time produced arguably his greatest ever Champions League display in his career at the Spanish capital after scoring two stunning goals from just two shots on target.

Del Piero opened the scoring at the 17th minute after curling home with his left foot from 25 yards.

Juventus did well to neutralize the attacking threat posed by Madrid's roster containing the likes of Ruud van Nistelrooy, Wesley Sneijder and Raul Gonzalez and on the 67th minute, Del Piero stunned the Bernabeu once again with a trademark free kick from 30 yards.

"I enjoyed the ovation given to del Piero because he is a great player, he has proven his class and the bernabeu recognizes this fact."

Bernd Schuster, Real Madrid coach said after the match.

#2 Lionel Messi (Barcelona, LaLiga 2017)

This game will be remembered by many as the day Messi proved to the Bernabeu crowd that he was far from being considered as the finished asset

When it comes to producing a masterclass against Los Blancos, Messi has done it a dozen times throughout his time at Barcelona.

However, his performance against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in the 2017/18 LaLiga season will remain to be his greatest ever performance at the venue.

This game will be remembered by many as the day Messi proved to the Bernabeu crowd that he was far from being considered as the finished asset.

Before the match, Barcelona trailed their close rivals by three points having played a game more and the title was on the verge of being won by the Madrid club.

However this didn't make the game less interesting and it had all the vibes of a fantastic encounter.

Real Madrid got the lead through Casemiro and Messi equalized after slicing through the home defence with a splendid movement before finishing from close range.

James Rodriguez leveled for Madrid after Rakitic had put the Catalans ahead and the game was level during stoppage time.

This was when Lionel Messi produced the moment of magic that the Barcelona team has craved, scoring his 500th Barcelona goal in a brilliant fashion at the 92nd minute.

Messi finished off a brilliant Barcelona team move which began from Sergio Roberto all through to Jordi Alba's overlapping run and finally to Leo's magical feet.

What was even more iconic was Messi's celebration of his stoppage-time winner.

#1 Ronaldinho (Barcelona, LaLiga 2005)

This was a complete performance by arguably the greatest entertainer in football and Real fans got to their feet and applauded the work of a genius

The Brazilian was on fire when Barcelona visited their arch-rivals at their home pitch in 2005 pulling arguably one of his best performance as a Barcelona player.

Perhaps the game's most memorable moment was the standing ovation the Bernabeu gave Ronaldinho after the Brazilian scored the third Barcelona goal, his second amazing goal of the game.

Only Diego Maradona had received a standing ovation as a Barcelona player at the Bernabeu before.

Barcelona had earlier got the lead through Samuel Eto'o and what followed in the second half was the 'Ronaldinho show'.

The first goal was a combination of pace, close control, and skill as the Brazilian received the ball on the halfway line and left Sergio Ramos lying on the grass after a quick shuffle of feet then turned Ivan Helguera inside out before sliding a shot past Iker Casillas.

His second goal was almost a recreation of his first as Ramos was once again the victim of Ronaldinho's magical feet.

The Brazilian play-maker glided past the Spanish defender for the second time and tucked past Casillas giving Barcelona a well-earned triumph against their bitter rivals.

This was a complete performance by arguably the greatest entertainer in football and Real fans got to their feet and applauded the work of a genius as he ran off to celebrate on the 78th minute.

"I will never forget this because it is very rare for any footballer to be applauded in this way by the opposition fans."

Ronaldinho when asked about the ovation he received at the Bernabeu.