Real Madrid's Ronaldo celebrates a goal with team mates Carvajal and Bale against Galatasaray during their Champions League soccer match in Istanbul (Photo: Reuters)
Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat trick as a dominant Real Madrid started its Champions League campaign by crushing Galatasaray 6-1 on Tuesday.
Gareth Bale, the world's most expensive footballer, made his Champions League debut for Madrid in the second half of a physical Group B match that saw goalkeeper Iker Casillas replaced by Diego Lopez due to injury. Captain Casillas had not started a match for Madrid since breaking a bone in his hand 238 days ago.
Francisco "Isco" Alarcon opened the scoring after 33 minutes and Karim Benzema went on to strike twice during a second half in which Ronaldo was unstoppable.
Umut Bulut scored a late consolation goal for Galatasaray.
Bale came on in the 64th minute for Isco in a move that further reinforced Madrid's attack.
In the other group game, FC Copenhagen keeper Johan Wiland kept Juventus at bay as the Italian champions were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw.
Wiland produced several superb saves to keep his side in the game after Nicolai Jorgensen had given Copenhagen the lead in the 14th minute.
Jorgensen, the Denmark international, latched on to a loose ball in the area and poked home.
Fabio Quagliarella ended Wiland's resistance nine minutes into the second half, levelling the scores with a left-footed shot from Federico Peluso's cross.
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