Cristiano Ronaldo scored a sensational overhead kick during Real Madrid’s 3-0 Champions League quarter-final first leg victory over Juventus.

The Portugal forward acrobatically connected with Dani Carvajal’s cross to fire the ball past Juve goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon from around the penalty spot.

Here, Press Association Sport highlights some of the best goals scored in the competition.

Lionel Messi (Barcelona, 2010/11)

After exchanging passes with Sergio Busquets, Messi showed his sublime skills during the 2-0 semi-final first leg win at Barca’s bitter rivals Real Madrid.

The Argentinian accelerated away from Lassana Diarra, evaded both Sergio Ramos and Raul Albiol and then beat Marcelo before coolly sliding the ball past Real goalkeeper Iker Casillias.

It was Messi’s second goal of the night at the Bernabeu and he scored again in the Wembley final as Pep Guardiola’s Barca beat Manchester United.

Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid, 2001/02)

Four years after leading his country to World Cup glory, the talented Frenchman won his first and only Champions League title following a superb winner in the Hampden Park final.

Left-back Roberto Carlos hooked in a looping cross from the left and Zidane, just inside the penalty area, calmly waited for the ball to drop before rifling a first-time left-footed volley into the roof of Hans-Jorg Butt’s net to earn Real’s 2-1 success.

Lars Ricken (Borussia Dortmund 1996/97)

The 20-year-old substitute had been on the pitch for just 16 seconds when he sealed a 3-1 success for Ottmar Hitzfeld’s Dortmund in the 1997 final against Juventus. Ricken, on for Swiss striker Stephane Chapuisat, raced from the halfway line to latch on to Andreas Moller’s through ball and then lifted a fine first-time strike over stranded Juve keeper Angelo Peruzzi.

Mauro Bressan (Fiorentina, 1999/00)

The Italian midfielder’s overhead strike from 30 yards against Barcelona in Florence was perhaps better than Ronaldo’s latest effort.

With the ball bouncing having only been partially cleared by the Barca defence, Bressan launched himself into the air and connected perfectly. His speculative attempt flew goal-wards before bouncing down off the underside of the crossbar, leaving goalkeeper Francesc Arnau slumped in the side netting.

Mario Mandzukic (Juventus, 2016/17)

For Juve, the 2017 final ultimately ended in a 4-1 defeat against Real Madrid but they scored undoubtedly the best goal of the night in Cardiff.

Croatia striker Mandzukic claimed it with an audacious overhead volley from just inside the penalty box to cap a devastating team move. After Leonardo Bonucci’s searching pass, the ball did not touch the floor as Alex Sandro volleyed first-time across goal, Gonzalo Higuain cushioned the delivery and Mandzukic controlled with his chest before hooking into the top right corner.

Gareth Bale (Tottenham, 2010/11)

With Spurs trailing 4-0 and down to 10 men, Bale ran around 60 yards from deep inside his own half to score the first goal in a remarkable hat-trick at the San Siro.

The Wales international ghosted past both Maicon and Javier Zanetti, ran wide of Walter Samuel and then powerfully drove the ball across Julio Cesar and into the bottom right corner.

His second goal came in similar fashion and Spurs, under Harry Redknapp and in their first Champions League campaign, eventually topped Group A ahead of the Italians as they enjoyed a memorable run to the quarter-finals.

Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United, 2008/09)

While Tuesday evening’s effort may now overshadow this one, Ronaldo produced a stunning long-range strike against Porto to put United into the 2009 semi-finals.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s men needed a result in the Estadio do Dragao having conceded two away goals in drawing the home leg 2-2, and Ronaldo made the difference.

Inside six minutes, he collected the ball from Anderson, turned and then unleashed an unstoppable drive into the top left corner from around 40 yards.

Allan Ravn (Brondby, 1998/99)

Brondby, drawn in a group of death with Barcelona and eventual finalists Manchester United and Bayern Munich, enjoyed a memorable 2-1 victory over the Germans.

The win came courtesy of midfielder Ravn’s 89th-minute solo effort. He lifted the ball over Bayern defender Thomas Helmer around midway inside the visitors’ half and then, with Markus Babbel approaching, struck a dipping half-volley from 25 yards which flew over Oliver Kahn and in off the left post.

Dejan Stankovic (Inter, 2010/11)

Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer’s sweeper-keeper role came undone in sensational style thanks to Stankovic’s outrageous volley from inside the centre circle. Neuer, then playing for Schalke, came racing out of his goal to clear the ball from the edge of the D with an impressive diving header.

Unfortunately for him, it sailed straight to Serbia midfielder Stankovic and his technique was flawless as he rifled the ball into the unguarded net without a bounce.

Michael Essien (Chelsea, 2008/09)

Although Andres Iniesta ultimately ended Chelsea’s hopes of making the final in heartbreaking fashion with a stoppage-time away goal, Essien’s thunderous strike will live long in the memory.

Frank Lampard’s attempted cross was blocked by Yaya Toure, sending the ball looping into the air. It dropped perfectly for Ghanaian midfielder Essien, who stepped forward and let fly with a left-footed volley which crashed down off the crossbar and bounced into the roof of the net.

 

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