UEFA Champions League 2016-17: Borussia Dortmund 2-2 Real Madrid - 5 talking points
Champions League football is always overloaded with the promise of abundantly quality football, and Borussia Dortmund vs Real Madrid was the biggest fixture of this second Champions League matchday. The game more than lived up to its billing, as the two sides exchanged blows at various points to provide a number of twists to a well-contested match.
The match ended 2-2, with Dortmund striking back on both occasions following goals by Real Madrid. The first goal was scored by Cristiano Ronaldo but Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang levelled in the 43rd minute. Raphael Varane put Madrid in the lead but substitute Andre Schurrle scored the final goal of the game in the 87th minute.
Here are five talking points from the best fixture of this week:
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo roars back into form
The Real Madrid talisman was criticised by a number of people after a rather forgettable outing against Las Palmas during the weekend, in which he was substituted after 72 minutes. There were even whispers as to whether the Euro 2016 winner is experiencing the first signs of an eventual fall from the summit.
All of those were invalidated today, as Ronaldo played like a man with a chip on his shoulder and gave a fitting reply to the critics. After pouncing on a loose ball in typical poacher fashion and finishing emphatically, Ronaldo then helped Real take the lead a second time with an absolutely marvellous cross, which was turned in by Varane after the initial shot by Benzema ricocheted into his path via the woodwork.
All-in-all, Ronaldo showed enough substance to prove his elite level once again.