Three stats from Real Madrid’s 5-1 destruction of Celtic

In what was Real Madrid’s 10th fixture against Scottish opposition, Carlo Ancelotti’s side recorded a sixth win by seeing off Celtic with a 5-1 victory on their second visit to the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, following the 3-0 win for Juanito and co. last time the Glaswegians visited in 1980.

Here are three stats that help to underline some of the highlights of the match.

4 minutes, 9 seconds: Real Madrid’s quickest ever penalty in a Champions League game

This game got off to a strong start for Real Madrid thanks to two penalties which were duly converted by Luka Modrić and Rodrygo Goes inside the first 20 minutes. The first, on 4 minutes and 9 seconds, was actually the quickest Real Madrid penalty ever to be awarded in the Champions League.

If you thought winning two penalties so quickly was rare, this was the first time any team have scored two penalties inside 20 minutes. In fact, two penalties had only been awarded so rapidly twice before. Atletico Madrid were one side, in 2019 against Lokomotiv Moscow, but Kieran Trippier missed the first, while the other team were Napoli earlier this year against Liverpool, with Victor Osimhen missing the second.

This was only Modrić’s second penalty for Los Blancos, adding to one in January of this year against Elche, and the 20th he has scored in his career. In converting, he became the oldest player ever to score a penalty in the Champions League at 37 years and 54 days. Rodrygo, meanwhile, maintained his unbeaten streak from the spot to make it three goals from 12 yards in as many weeks.

Photo by Mateo Villalba/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

6th December 2017: The last time a starting front three not including Karim Benzema all scored for Real Madrid

With Rodrygo Goes, Marco Asensio and Vinícius Júnior all on the scoresheet, Real Madrid’s starting front three all scored. That’s not all too unusual, it happened on the opening day of the season against Celta Vigo too, but what is unusual is that it was an attacking trident which didn’t include Karim Benzema.

The Frenchman came off the bench after all three had scored, and in doing so, they became the first trio to score without Benzema in almost five years. You’re probably picturing Cristiano Ronaldo flanked by Gareth Bale, Marco Asensio or another hotshot. In fact, it was a 3-2 win over Borussia Dortmund with Borja Mayoral and Lucas Vázquez converting alongside the famous number seven.

This strength in depth has never been more important with Benzema’s ongoing fitness struggles this season and with the number of his candles on his birthday cake only increasing with each passing year.

1: Stéphanie Frappart becomes the first female referee for a Real Madrid match

For the first time in 120 years of history, Real Madrid were refereed by a female official. French referee Stéphanie Frappart became the first to take charge of a Real Madrid game in the middle, and did so becoming the first woman to referee at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu in the process too.

Photo by Mateo Villalba/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

By awarding three penalties in the first half, she did not shy away from the big calls but got them all right. After the controversies of the refereeing from the draw with Girona at the weekend, Real Madrid fans were ready to riot at the first sign of any decision going against them, but Frappart handled the game superbly.

Spain has seen a rise in female referees at the highest level, most notably Guadalupe Porras Ayuso, but even in her case, she is an assistant referee. To have a woman as the one in the middle with a whistle is a landmark moment for the sport, and reflects a historic occasion for Real Madrid in what seems likely to become the norm in the years ahead.