Real Madrid put three past Napoli to recover from slow start

Two enterprising, attacking sides crafted a beautiful game at the Bernabeu, featuring fast, skilful play, plenty of edge, and some lovely goals.

Real Madrid almost went in front after 23 seconds, Pepe Reina beating away Karim Benzema's effort after he was teed-up by Cristiano Ronaldo. But even though they did not have much of the ball, Napoli looked dangerous on the break, taking the lead on eight minutes when Marek Hamsik fed Lorenzo Insigne, whose instant shot caught Kaylor Navas out of position and resulted in a brilliant goal.

At no point, though, did Napoli look capable of holding onto their lead, and after various missed chances, Dani Carvajal crossed superbly with the outside of his right foot for Karim Benzema to head home the equaliser.

Napoli actually started the second half in the ascendancy, but Ronaldo, playing down the right, pulled back perfectly for Kroos to punch in a low finish on 49 minutes before, shortly afterwards, Casemiro murdered home a volley to complete the scoring.

Really, Madrid ought to have scored at least twice more, but Napoli will also regret Dries Mertens' miss that would have set them up perfectly for the return, and in the event, both sides looked relatively satisfied with 3-1; Madrid will reckon the tie just about over, and Napoli will reckon it just about alive.

Do Napoli have the defence to compete? - Napoli are a delightful attacking side, but a little to reliant on the break for a team without a reliable defence. It is hard to see them restricting Madrid to one or two goals when the sides reconvene at the San Paolo, but they will need to find a way.

Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) Well and unselfishly - really! - though Cristiano Ronaldo played, Kroos orchestrated midifeld with Luka Modric, opening up the pitch to help create Benzema's goal and taking his own one with finesse and expertise.

Real Madrid: Keylor Navas 5, Carvajal 7, Ramos 6, Varane 6, Marcelo 6, Casemiro 7, Modric 8, Kroos 9, James 8, Benzema 8, Ronaldo 8. Subs: Pepe 6, Lucas Vasquez 6, Morata 6.

Napoli: Reina 7, Hysaj 6, Albiol 7, Koulibaly 5, Ghoulam 6, Diawara 7, Zielinski 6, Hamsik 6, Callejon 7, Mertens 6, Insigne 7. Subs: Allan 6, Milik 6.

1’ - Superb from Ronaldo, sashaying down the left and swivelling to cut back a cross for Benzema, who meets it well ... but Reina flings up an arm to prang it away at the near post; great save. 23 seconds, that took.

8’ - WHAT A GOAL! Real Madrid 0-1 Napoli (Insigne) Hamsik smuggles a through-ball through the middle - Madrid are high and square at the back - and Insigne, 25 yards out, is in! And he doesn't wait to be asked again, curling an instashot around Navas who, with no danger apparently imminent was wandering around well off his line. That is superbly done - first, the presence of mind to notice, second, the confidence to go for it, third, the skill to pull it off.

18’ - GOAL! Real Madrid 1-1 Napoli (Benzema) This is a lovely goal. Kroos sprays a frankly revolting pass wide to James, who huffs and puffs to catch up then lays back for Carvajal. He then takes a touch before curling a cross towards the far post with the outside of his right boot; Ronaldo is up, but Benzema is upper, thumping a header past Reina before grabbing the bal Brian McClair-style and charging back to halfway.

42’ - Another excellent miss! Ronaldo and James have swapped wings, and Carvajal finds the former; immediately, he guides a low cross beautifully into the path of Benzema. He's certain he's about to score, opening his body to roll into the right corner - think Ian Rush in the 1987 Littlewoods Cup final - but Reina advances, gets a touch and the ball hits the outside of the post. The corner then comes to nowt.

49’ - GOAL! Real Madrid 2-1 Napoli (Kroos) Ronaldo, still on the right, chucka stepover at Koulibaly, saunters past him, and then from the by-line, pauses, looks up, and rolls a perfectly-weighted pass for Kroos, arriving on the edge of the box. And what a finish it produces, passed firmly and quickly into the near bottom-corner.

54’ - OHHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO! GOAL! Real Madrid 3-1 Napoli (Casemiro!) Oh my days this is a hit! Albiol and James contest a ball just inside the box and the ball squirts up and out to Casemiro, just outside the box, right of centre; he hits it with a force that is illegal in some states, and it hurtles, burns and screeches up and down into the far bottom corner. Phew!

Cristiano Ronaldo has created five goals in the Champions League this season, more than in any other season.

Karim Benzema has now scored 51 times in the Champions League, more than any Frenchman.