Real Madrid 3 Galatasaray 0

Real Madrid’s pursuit of la decima, a 10th European Cup, continues to gather pace. They were far too intelligent and potent on the counter-attack for FatihTerim’sGalatasaray, who were far too disorganised defensively.

Goals from Cristiano Ronaldo, inevitably, KarimBenzema and Gonzalo Higuaín put Madrid in total charge of this tie.

“Knowing the mentality of Turkey and Fatih, they will do all they can to get through and do something historic,’’ said Real’s coach, Jose Mourinho.

“They need a miracle but there are miracles in football. The history of football is full of miracles, so why can’t they dream of a miracle. I have enough experience to understand that we have a very good result but it is not over and I will try everything in my hands to persuade my players that it is not over.”

Terim himself agreed “we need a miracle” and pointed out “there is a big difference in the quality of the players’’ of the respective teams. Yet Real will be without two important players next week.

As the game closed, both Xabi Alonso and Sergio Ramos were cautioned, triggering bans for the visit to Istanbul. This means there is no risk of their missing the semi-final which Real are surely destined to reach now.

Mourinho insisted that the bookings were not deliberate, claiming that the yellows “complicate my plans a bit for the second leg. When I saw the cards, what I had been thinking about fell apart”.

Yet Pepe can come into midfield or alongside RaphaëlVarane, the teenaged French centre-half of limitless potential who was outstanding in subduing Didier Drogba and BurakYilmaz.

The coach’s decisions were all working out. Having selected Michael Essien ahead of Alvaro Arbeloa, Mourinho was rewarded when Essien crossed from the right, Eboué failed to get close to Benzema, who scored.

Madrid were in control, comfortably withstanding occasional Galatasaray attacks. When Drogba crossed, BurakYilmaz shot wide. Eboué shot straight at Diego Lopez. Even when Galatasaray threatened, Varane was on hand to shepherd the ball away or Alonso and Sami Khedira were back covering.

century.

At half-time, there was the remarkable sight of the Galatasaraycentre-half DanyNounkeu swapping shirts with Benzema as they walked to the tunnel. Terim made a change, withdrawing the anonymous Wesley Sneijder, sending on GokhanZan and realigning the team as 3-5-2.

“It looks like a defensive change,’’ said Mourinho, “but I think it’s offensive because (Albert) Riera and Eboué (the full-backs) play further forward and Drogba gets closer to Ramos and Varane. They did everything to try to get a different result.” Real remained in charge.

Mourinho has done it with Porto (2004), Chelsea (2005, 2007), Inter Milan (2010) and with Real in 2011, 2012 and, barring an upset by the Bosporus, in 2013. Ferguson set his record with United in 1997, 1999, 2002, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011. But it is the 10th title that Mourinho and Real truly crave.