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Caper Town - Cristiano Ronaldo thanked Juventus fans for the standing ovation he received at the Allianz Stadium after scoring a sensational bicycle kick in a 3-0 Real Madrid win.
Ronaldo grabbed the opening goal in Turin after just three minutes and added a second on the hour with a sensational overhead bicycle kick, taking him to 14 goals in this season's competition.
The Portuguese superstar surpassed himself with a breathtaking overhead hit from inside the box to help put holders Real Madrid closer to the semi-finals.
"One of the most beautiful goals in the history of football," said Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane.
The jeers of the home fans turned to applause and earned him a standing ovation after 64 minutes when Dani Carvajal crossed back into the area where Ronaldo connected with an outrageous bicycle kick.
Ronaldo responded by putting his hand to his heart and giving a slight bow of gratitude to the crowd.
"Obviously people are talking about my second goal... it was a spectacular goal, possibly the best of my career," he said. "This was one of the nicest moments. To be applauded by the Juventus stadium, where so many great footballers have played, is a top moment for me.
"It's something that stays in your heart...I want to thank all the Italians who were here in the stadium and applauded me."
Ronaldo admitted he had been trying to score a goal as spectacular as that "for a long time" as he scored his 13th and 14th goal in the Champions League - five shy off his record 17.
"I scored once for the national team with a bicycle kick, which hit the post and went in, but this was a bit better.
"I had been looking to score a goal like that for a long time but it depends on the circumstances of the match. Sometimes, it doesn't' work, but you always have to try. I tried and I scored.
"Great goal. What can I say? Fantastic. I didn’t expect to score that goal but let’s speak about the game. I think the game was amazing, we scored three goals against Juve – a great team. We played nice and of course I am happy I helped the team, I scored two goals. A great night."
