Gelsenkirchen: Real Madrid cruised to a rare victory on German soil as they romped to a 6-1 win at Schalke 04 in Wednesday-s Champions League-s last 16, first-leg clash. Real are now all but guaranteed a quarter-final place even with the return leg to come in Madrid on March 18 after Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale both scored braces.


Real Madrid-s Welsh striker Gareth Bale L, Real Madrid-s French forward Karim Benzema and Real Madrid-s Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo R celebrate Bale-s goal during the first-leg round of 16 UEFA Champions League football match Schalke 04 vs real Madrid in Gelsenkirchen. Pic/AFP 

Real-s Ballon d-Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo also scored twice on his return from a three game suspension to see him take over from Zlatan Ibrahimovic as the competition-s top-scorer this season with 11 goals. "The team has played a lot of good games and this is one more," said Ronaldo.