REAL MADRIR YAITUNDIKA DORTMUND MAGOLI 3 KWA 0 KATIKA LIGI YA UEFA CHAMPIONSHIP

Cool finish: Gareth Bale slots the ball past Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller for opening goal

Impressive: Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo scores his 14th Champions League goal this season

Roar: Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates his second-half strike against Dortmund

Impressive: Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo scores his 14th Champions League goal this season

Close call: Gareth Bale had another effort disallowed for offside

Cristiano Ronaldo equalled Lionel Messi’s record of 14 goals in one Champions League season as Real Madrid demolished Dortmund, almost assuring themselves a fourth successive semi-final appearance.

The Portuguese forward was not at his best but he had buried the all important third goal in the second half and when he hobbled off with half an hour left the Bernabeu rose as one to salute him.

In his 100th Champions League game he also matched Alfredo Di Stefano’s haul of 49 goals in the European Cup.

And he was ably assisted by Gareth Bale who scored the first and ran Jurgen Klopp’s side ragged on a fast wet pitch.

Dortmund beat Real Madrid 4-3 on aggregate in the semi-finals last season and Klopp had promised a  positive approach but the optimism lasted all of three minutes with Bale scoring his 17th goal of the season to put the home side 1-0 up.

Karim Benzema chased down Erik Durm and fed Dani Carvajal and when the young  right back played in Bale, he got away from Sokratis Papastathopoulos to poke his shot past Roman Weidenfeller.

After such a start he might have been forgiven for thinking he would be  allowed to take the first free-kick of the game – no chance.

On 12 minutes, Madrid were awarded a set-piece 30 yards out but though the Welshman adopted his distinctive pre-strike pose, it was Ronaldo who shuffled up and blasted just over Weidenfeller’s bar.

The Dortmund keeper got a touch as the missile flew over and from the  resulting corner, Marcos Reus mistakenly kicked him as he tried to clear Pepe’s effort on goal.

Reus then kicked Ronaldo and was booked for the challenge.

There was no chance of Real Madrid losing their heads. Another 

impressive feature of their Champions League campaign this season has 

been their low card count going into what should be the semi-final 

stage.

On 27 minutes Xabi Alonso fed Isco and he doubled their lead 

shooting through a crowd of yellow-shirted defenders and past an 

unsighted Weidenfeller. Isco lit up Malaga’s Champions League campaign 

last season with Manuel Pellegrini in charge. It was the Chilean coach 

who wanted to take him to Manchester City in the summer.

Bale was  full of self-less running in midfield and he finally got his free-kick  opportunity on the half hour when he won a free-kick and this time took  the kick that Weidenfeller tipped over.

Quick fire: Bale turns away to celebrate after his early strike against Dortmund

White hot: Bale celebrates with team-mates Daniel Carvajal (left) and Xabi Alonso (centre)

Smashing: Tennis ace and Real Madrid fan Rafael Nadal watches the Champions League clash