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Business as usual: How Real Madrid got the best of Atletico once again

Reuters / Susana Vera

In the golden metropolis that is Madrid, the Champions League continues to be Real Madrid's pride and joy, and Atletico Madrid's unattainable obsession.

It was much of the same on Tuesday, as Real Madrid defeated Atleti 3-0 in the first leg of the tie between the two Spanish clubs in the Champions League semi-finals. Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick, tightening Los Blancos' grip on European football in Spain's capital.

Real Madrid vanquished Atleti in two of the Champions League's last three finals, and also threw out Los Colchoneros in the quarter-finals two years ago. Barring a massive comeback in the second leg, Los Blancos will eliminate their crosstown rivals for the fourth year in a row.

Here's how Real Madrid got the best of Atleti once again:

Exploitation of Atleti's right-back problem

Lucas Hernandez wasn't Diego Simeone's first choice at right-back. In fact, the French defender likely wasn't the second or third choice, either. Juanfran was out due to a hamstring injury. Jose Maria Gimenez, the obvious replacement, couldn't play due to an adductor wound. Sime Vrsaljko was also out through an ailment. Thomas Partey, a midfielder, wasn't a viable option given the need to mark Cristiano Ronaldo.

Simeone really had no choice but to deploy Hernandez, more comfortable on the left side of the pitch, at right-back. The product of Atleti was by no means a disaster, but the lack of a genuine No. 2 in the club's defensive quartet invited aerial threats, and that's exactly how Real Madrid opened the floodgates.

A cross from Casemiro found Ronaldo, who, from only six yards out, used his basketball-esque vertical to rise above Stefan Savic and power a header past Jan Oblak. It was precisely how Real Madrid was expected to score, with the Portuguese virtuoso loitering in Atleti's penalty area, waiting for service.

Ronaldo's evolution into No. 9

Ronaldo is gradually developing into a centre-forward rather than a winger. He continues to be found alongside Karim Benzema in a front two, and the timing of the progression is ideal given Isco's rise at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Isco adds balance to Real Madrid's squad by operating as a fourth midfielder, giving Ronaldo even more licence to roam in front of goal. It's a nightmare for Atleti, especially when Juanfran isn't available.

There's nothing new about Ronaldo refusing to track back, but, as a No. 9, he'll produce more shots than he will as a winger. As a result, and largely because of his pinpoint accuracy, Real Madrid will score more goals, even against clubs with wonderful defenders such as Atleti. What could have been a 1-0 victory or a 2-0 win was instead a 3-0 triumph in which he tallied a hat-trick and allowed Los Blancos' supporters to start thinking about the final.

It's a small adjustment, but it makes a big difference.

Competent defending by Sergio Ramos, Raphael Varane

Little was asked of Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane, but Real Madrid's two centre-backs did what was needed of them, restricting Atleti to only one shot on target.

Each and every time Atleti entered the final third, Ramos and Varane remained composed and calmly defused the threat, even if it involved committing a foul on Antoine Griezmann. At no point did it look like Los Colchoneros were on the verge of scoring, and a similar performance in the second leg will guarantee the club's exit from the Champions League.

It's worth noting that, at the other end of the field, Varane almost scored a goal, as the French centre-back battered a header that forced a fingertip save out of Oblak in the 16th minute.

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