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Real Madrid defeated Borussia Dortmund by a 3-1 scoreline at the Westfalenstadion to go top of Group H, with Borussia Dortmund now facing a daunting task of qualifying after having lost both their games so far.
Gareth Bale opened the scoring with a stunning goal, before Cristiano Ronaldo made it 2-0 early in the second half. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang grabbed a goal back soon after, but Ronaldo ended the contest with 10 minutes to go with his second of the night.
Here are the major talking points from the game:
#1 Real Madrid are a different animal in Europe.
6 games, 540 minutes, and a club with the European pedigree of Real Madrid had never beaten Borussia Dortmund at the Westfalenstadion.
No more. It may be known as the 'Signal Iduna Park' for corporate reasons, but facing the Yellow Wall has made many a team wilt at their sight.
Yet, Zinedine Zidane's side are nothing if not world-beaters, time and again proving that the improbable is not beyond them. In a performance that looked entirely unlike the disjointed, unsure avatar that they've appeared in La Liga this season, Real Madrid used the UEFA Champions League - 'our competition', according to Cristiano Ronaldo - to get their season back on track.
Perhaps it was the fact that with Toni Kroos and Luka Modric pulling the strings, Madrid look far better than whatever Mateo Kovacic, Dani Ceballos et al can offer. Casemiro protected his defence for most of the night, and when he didn't Raphael Varane and Nacho were ever present to bail out Madrid.
Class tells, and Los Blancos have bags of it.
#2 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is still auditioning for Real Madrid
"I have no dream. I shall no longer speak of Madrid. They don't want me."
Putting aside all Martin Luther King Jr. jokes, Aubameyang's words ahead of the game reeked of despondency at missing out on his dream move, one promised to his grandfather at his deathbed.
The Gabonese striker had a bit of a mare in the first half, hitting the post when scoring looked easier and allowing a couple of promising chances to disappear with a heavy touch. However, the Gabonese striker has that quality that the best strikers possess - misses do not affect them.
In the second half, Aubameyang made it three goals in as many games against Real Madrid, and could have increased that tally if not for some excellent last-ditch defending preventing him from scoring. With Raul and Florentino Perez watching, perhaps there is still hope for Aubameyang, especially now that Karim Benzema is injured and Borja Mayoral not as impressive as the departed Alvaro Morata as the second-choice striker.
#3 Cristiano Ronaldo's numbers are mind-boggling...and painful for Germans
237 minutes - it speaks of how high the bar Cristiano Ronaldo has set for himself that going 2 and a half games without scoring is considered a goal 'drought'. Can you blame us though? The sight of Ronaldo unerringly hammering the ball home has become de rigueur, that we're caught a bit off guard in the rare moments when he doesn't do it.
The Portuguese superstar celebrated his 400th appearance for Real Madrid in some style in the second half, scoring a brace that brought his numbers to a scarcely believable level - he's been involved in 522 goals in those 400 games, scoring an incredible 411 times and providing the assist for 111 goals.
Ronaldo has scored 109 goals in the UEFA Champions League, and a stunning 25 of those (23%) are against German sides. The scourge of Germany returned tonight in his favourite competition, and there was only going to be one result. Next up, Spurs - and they better be wary of his recent scoring record:
Basically, don't let the man shoot. Easier said than done.
#4 Gareth Bale will silence the boo boys
It was typical of Gareth Bale's Real Madrid career that on the night that he scored a crucial, world-class goal, he'd be overshadowed by Cristiano Ronaldo scoring a brace. Madrid's papers will be dominated by the sight of Ronaldo doing his trademark celebration, but many will forget the part that Bale played tonight.
Make no mistake, Borussia Dortmund were firmly on top when Gareth Bale unleashed a measured first-time volley with his cultured left foot to open the scoring - until then, Madrid had played within themselves, and there was room for doubt.
The start of the second half also had Varane making an incredible clearance to ensure Madrid kept their lead, but when Bale and Ronaldo are on the pitch, you don't even need to be playing particularly well to score, which Bale ensured Ronaldo did, with a perfect low cross, ending the night with the two most crucial, and well-timed contributions to the game.
All three of Bale's goals have come away from home and hopefully, the Bernabeu will see the futility in booing a player who does not respond to their jeers.
#5 Dortmund are staring at the UEFA Europa League
Peter Bosz became the first Dortmund manager to lose to Real Madrid at home, but if the Bundesliga leaders end up allowing Tottenham Hotspur to qualify in lieu of them, it will hurt the Dutchman all that much more. It's a real possibility now - with Harry Kane in stellar form, Spurs could nick a point off of Real Madrid and then Dortmund will truly be staring at the Europa League.
Given the quality they have in their squad (Dortmund managed to put out a great XI despite having 6 first-teamers out injured), the German giants should not be in the position they are. Tactical naivete is acceptable when you're away to Spurs, but a gung-ho attitude at home to Real Madrid is simply asking for trouble.
Bosz may very well bemoan the lack of penalty when Ramos handled the ball in the first half, but the truth is that Madrid looked like scoring far too often - the game was simply too open. If Dortmund have dreams of a long Champions League run, a tighter, more compact style of play is needer, or they will be joining sides like Arsenal and AC Milan in the UEFA Europa League this season.
