Real Madrid’s big hitters boosted to repeat history at Schalke

German side Schalke have the misfortune of colliding with Champions League holders Real Madrid at the round-of-16 stage for the second season running as it was carnage 12 months ago.

Schalke’s Veltins-Arena bore witness to Real Madrid breaking the record for most goals scored by an away side in the competition’s knockout stages, as Carlo Ancelotti’s side romped to a 6-1 victory.

On that memorable occasion three men shared Los Blancos’ scoring duties equally among them.

Cristiano Ronaldo (who else), Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale all bagged a brace during the one-sided contest before Klaas-Jan Huntelaar’s stoppage-time consolation strike.

A year on, and chasing a ninth consecutive win in the Champions League, all three forwards have been selected in Ladbrokes’ latest hitman treble to score on the same night again.

The star trio were 5/1, and are now 8/1 to find their way onto the scorsheet in Gelsenkirchen.

Considering the combined scoring prowess on show between Ronaldo, Benzema and Bale this rates a big price.

Ronaldo, the official best in the world, may not have scored in three games but CR7 has racked up a ridiculous total of 36 Real Madrid goals already this campaign.

Providing able back-up, mere mortals Benzema and Bale have weighed in with comparatively miserly tallies of 18 and 15 in all competitions.

All three of Real’s most reliable sources of goals have netted in the same game twice already this season too, which includes a 5-1 rout of Basel in this competition.

Meanwhile, at least two of the three superstars have scored side-by-side in no fewer than 15 other games across all competitions.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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