Wednesday 19 April 2017 16:55, UK
Cristiano Ronaldo has pleaded with the Real Madrid fans to stop booing him after he scored a hat-trick against Bayern Munich to help his side into the semi-finals of the Champions League.
The forward, who had netted twice in the first leg, was the subject of jeers from the Santiago Bernabeu crowd in the first half after a couple of wayward shots.
But he proved to be the difference after the break in Madrid's 4-2 win after extra-time, setting up a 6-3 aggregate victory.
The Portuguese forward's header cancelled out Robert Lewandowski's goal late in the second half and he then finished off Bayern with strikes in either half of extra-time.
And the four-time World Player of the Year put his finger to his lips to the supporters after scoring his first of the night.
"I'm not asking them to name streets after me, the only thing I ask is that they don't boo me here," he told Spanish TV station Antena 3.
"I want them to stop booing me because I always give my best and even when I don't score I try to help Real Madrid."
His third goal of the night saw him become the first player to reach 100 goals in the Champions League.
Manager Zinedine Zidane lavished praise on Ronaldo but reminded him that Real players had to get used to the pressure from supporters.
"Perhaps the fans won't boo him anymore, but this is the Bernabeu and it can happen from time to time and he knows that," the former France captain said.
"The only thing he did was to stay calm and he proved himself on the pitch. There are few players that are always there in the key moments, and the fans will be grateful for what Cristiano has done here.
"He always knows that when there's an important occasion, he's going to be there and he showed it again tonight.
"What he did is outside any sort of category. There are few players who can do what Ronaldo has done and we all know that."
