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Since the inaugural UEFA Champions League edition in 1992, a host of players have notched more than a goal in a game. Scoring a hat-trick in the Champions League must be a special feeling as only a few have managed to do so.
Not many have managed to score more than three goals in a game at the highest level of European club football. Only two players, Leo Messi and Luiz Adriano have scored five goals in a Champions League game.
However, here we take a look at the players who have scored the fastest Champions League hat-trick.
#5 Neymar - 14 mins (FC Barcelona 6-1 Celtic FC)
Brazilian and PSG forward Neymar, during his time at Barcelona scored a hat-trick against Celtic at the Nou Camp, in 2013, in 14 mins. It is the fifth fastest Champions League hat-trick to be scored by a player in the competition.
In a game that ended 6-1 in favour of the Catalan giants, the Brazilian notched his first ever Champions League treble. All three goals were beautifully constructed by the then Barcelona team and were finished off clinically by the attacker. The first goal was a tap-in, while the other two were individually crafted by the former Santos player.
The nimble-footed Brazilian attacking player has adapted well to his club PSG and has gelled with the player in France. Sometimes obliterating defences, the trio of Neymar, Mbappe and Cavani are a menacing threat to any defence and Real Madrid will face the tricky encounter in the Champions League Round of 16.
#4 Luiz Adriano - 12 mins (FC BATE Borisov 0-7 FC Shakhtar Donetsk)
30-year-old Brazilian striker Luiz Adriano began his career in 2006 with Internacional before joining Shakhtar Donetsk a year later in Ukraine. After spending seven seasons with the club winning numerous trophies, the Brazilian forward opted to join AC Milan in 2015, in a move that lasted for two years, before signing for Spartak Moscow in 2017.
In 2014, during his time with Shakhtar, Adriano achieved a great feat, netting a hat-trick against Belarusian side Bate Borisov in 12 mins. It is the fourth fastest ever hat-trick recorded in Champions League history.
The striker went on to score five in the group stage game that ended 7-0 to the away side, compounding a massive home defeat for the Belarusian side. The Brazilian has made four appearances for his national side and will have to produce some spellbinding performances to get in contention for a spot in the national team for the 2018 WC.
#3 Cristiano Ronaldo - 11 mins (Real Madrid CF 8-0 Malmö FF)
Multiple time Ballon d'Or winner and Real Madrid talisman, Cristiano Ronaldo has been in sublime form for his club in the Champions League. With nine goals in the group stages, he set a record for the most goals scored in the first round of the competition.
Ronaldo is third on the list with players who scored the fastest hat-trick in the competition, netting three goals in just 11 mins against Swedish side Malmo in 2015 in a group stage match. The Portuguese scored 4 goals in the game, including a free kick, a tap-in, and two decent right-footed strikes, Madrid recorded the victory under Rafael Benitez.
The Portuguese forward has not been in similar form, in the league, netting only 4 goals, thus far, this season. 10 goals behind Messi in the race for the Pichichi award, Real Madrid also trail in the race for the title. As the El Clasico draws nearer, it will be imperative that Ronaldo finds form and guides his club to a win over the Catalan giants.
#2 Mike Newell - 9 mins (Blackburn Rovers FC 4 -1 Rosenborg BK)
After winning the Premier League title with Blackburn in the 1994-95 season, the club competed against the best teams in Europe in the Champions League. However, Rovers failed to make it through the group stages of the competition losing four of their six games.
Although there was a record that was set by number 10, Mike Newell in the last group game against Rosenburg BK. The striker scored a hat-trick in 9 mins against the Norwegian club which was at the time the fastest ever hat-trick in the competition. However, he is second on the list as his time was surpassed by another 16 years later.
Newell played for various clubs across England including spells with Everton, Birmingham, Leicester and West Ham to name a few. He never got the chance to play for England, though. Along with Shearer and Sutton, Newell played a big role in helping Blackburn Rovers win their first ever Premier League trophy.
#1 Bafétimbi Gomis - 8 mins (GNK Dinamo Zagreb 1-7 Olympique Lyonnais)
Former French and Premier League striker Bafe Gomis, during his time at Lyon, set the record for the fastest Champions League hat-trick that he scored in 8 mins against Dinamo Zagreb in a group stage match.
The French striker appeared 12 times for his country and made a mark with St. Etienne and Lyon before he secured a move to the Premier League with Swansea City in 2014. A year on loan from the Welsh club was spent at Marseille before Gomis in 2017 after two playing seasons at the club opted to join Galatasaray in Turkey.
The 32-year-old Frenchman holds a record that will take some beating, given that Europe's best teams compete for the Champions League every year. However, Gomis is the proud holder of this special record for the fastest ever Champions League group stage hat-trick.
