Forty thousand in Turin held their breath as Cristiano Ronaldo sprang into the air and prepared for acrobatics.
Everyone knew the discipline he was about to attempt came with a high degree of difficult but few doubted him.
Sure enough, Ronaldo performed a perfectly executed scissor-kick and directed the cross from Dani Carvajal past the frozen figure of Gigi Buffon.
Cristiano Ronaldo all but killed off the quarter-final tie single-handedly with a double in Real Madrid’s 2-0 win over Juventus
The Portuguese stunned Juve after just three minutes, stabbing home to give his side a vital away goal at the Allianz Stadium
The forward slides on his knees in celebration as Casemiro and captain Sergio Ramos hare after the goalscorer to celebrate
Ronaldo then smashed home an overhead kick to double Los Blancos’ lead in emphatic fashion at the Allianz Stadium
Juventus forward Paulo Dybala was then sent off after two bookings: one for simulation, the other for a high foot
Marcelo then heaped more misery on the Serie A champions, rounding Gianluigi Buffon before tapping home simply for 3-0
The jubilant goalscorers celebrate with Lucas Vazquez in the knowledge they have almost ended Juve’s European hopes
The hosts look dejected on a night where they were thoroughly outclassed and outplayed by their Spanish counterparts
The ball nestled into the net and Real Madrid were 2-0 up, well on their way to the last four of a competition they have won for the last two years and three times in the last four.
Forty thousand in Turin climbed to their feet and slowly they started to applaud. Just a ripple at first but it grew louder.
They didn’t like it but the Juventus faithful were prepared to acknowledge a genius at work.
Such moments are rare in a sport of tribes but such is the effect of an incredible footballer.
Ronaldo, having already scored the opener, basked in the acclaim.
Here was another crucial game, more goals, another Champions League record and he is not about to become bored.
His goals here struck for the 10th successive game in this competition, a sequence which began in last year’s final against Juve.
Since then, he has scored in all six of Real Madrid’s group games and both legs of the last-16 tie against Paris Saint-Germain.
On Tuesday night, he pocketed a valuable away goal within three minutes of the kick-off and added the remarkable acrobatic second.
From Cardiff to Turin he has led Real Madrid in pursuit of another European title.
Another will take his personal record to five, which would take him level with four others and only one behind Paco Gento on six.
Juventus’ Italian coach Massimiliano Allegri emerges from the tunnel ahead of the Champions League quarter-final clash
Real Madrid’s record signing Gareth Bale takes his place on the bench ahead of the clash, with Isco being preferred instead
Ronaldo puts the visitors 1-0 up in the opening exchanges, darting into the box before poking past Gianluigi Buffon
The Madrid talisman slides on his knees during an animated celebration as he secures a crucial away goal for the visitors
Madrid boss Zinedina Zidane directs his players from the touchline after watching his side take the lead against the Italians
Do not discount it. He is 33 but Ronaldo is getting better, certainly more influential.
He was furious with himself as he missed the chances to complete a hat-trick but his brilliant second knocked the fight from Juventus, reduced to 10 men, soon after, when Pablo Dybala was sent off.
Marcelo stormed forward from left-back to knock in the third and the Italian champions, beaten for the first time since November, were left to digest another humbling on at the hands of Real Madrid.
Zinedine Zidane selected the same team which started against them in the final Cardiff 10 months ago.
This meant no place in the starting line-up for Gareth Bale, despite two goals in a 3-0 win at Las Palmas on Saturday.
Zidane’s faith in Isco in the playmaker’s role was well placed, however, and the tie was less than three minutes old when he created the opening goal.
As Isco danced into the penalty area from the left, Ronaldo made his move.
Much has been made of the way he has refined his game since maturing into his thirties.
He is more of a striker than a prancing winger but make no mistake the turbo boost is there when needed, albeit more frequently over 10 yards than 50.
With an injection of pace, Ronaldo eased across the Juventus centre-halves and stabbed at Isco’s low cross with the outside of his right foot, sending the ball whistling past Gigi Buffon.
His form in this competition is remarkable. So, too, his recent goal record. He has scored 23 in a dozen games for Real Madrid.
Throw in a couple of headers against Egypt which turned a friendly in Portugal’s favour in stoppage time, during the international break, if you wish.
Juventus forward Paulo Dybala (centre) is sent flying after a tackle from Real Madrid’s French defender Raphael Varane
Gonzalo Higuain then gives the visitors a fright, latching on to a free-kick to force a stupendous save from Keylor Navas
Referee Cuneyt Cakir brandishes a yellow card to Rodrigo Bentancur, meaning the midfielder will miss the second leg
Dani Carvajal goes down theatrically after sustaining an injury to his face while Juve keeper Buffon stands over the defender
Dybala then saw yellow after he was adjudged to have dived inside the area in a bid to win a penalty for the hosts
Ronaldo, who scored the opener, begins the second half with a golden opportunity which he flashes across the face of goal
Ronaldo has mastered the art of influencing games at the elite level.
Allegri’s team, having showed their resilient spirit at Wembley, responded forced chances.
Paulo Dybala was denied by Sergio Ramos and Gonzalo Higuain by a fine reflex save by Keylor Navas.
Higuain was then left unattended at the back-post at a corner but mistimed the header.
In the heat of the midfield battle, Juve’s Rodrigo Bentancur collected a yellow card which rules him out of the second leg in Madrid.
Allegri will have Miralem Pjanic and Medhi Benatia back from suspension.
There were chances for Real at the other end, also, before the interval.
Rafael Varane headed over when unmarked at a corner and the centre-half held his head as he returned to his defensive position, aware what a good opportunity had been missed.
Toni Kroos casually lashed a ferocious drive against the bar from 25 yards, a reminder of the quality on display.
Juventus ended the first half with two energetic penalty appeals: the first for hand ball and the second for a foul on Dybala which the referee adjudged to be a dive.
It was the first step of a dismissal for the Argentine striker.
By the time he trudged off, Ronaldo had produced his magnificent second.
Real captain Ramos will miss the second leg after a collecting a yellow card but that is unlikely to matter anymore.
Los Blancos captain Ramos also sees yellow which, along with Bentancur, now means he misses the second leg in Madrid
Dybala almost equalises after his free kick deflects off Ronaldo and goes agonisingly past the post
Ronaldo then rose above the Juventus defence and swung a leg at a speculative cross, which he managed to bury for 2-0
The Brazilian then put the cherry on the cake at the end of the night, walking the ball into the net to make it 3-0
Los Blancos run off to the travelling fans as they celebrate an incredible win on a spectacular night for them in Turin