Legia had a few good moments going forward and caused Real a couple of problems, particularly in the second half when the game started to become more open, but in the end it was a relatively comfortable night for the home side. The visitors were leaky at the back and struggled to deal with the hosts' determined front line, who alway seemed to find pockets of space in the right place at the right time.
FULL-TIME: REAL MADRID 5-1 LEGIA WARSAW
Legia patiently work the ball around deep inside the Real half of the pitch as they try to carve out a late chance on goal, and Nikolics is finally able to get a shot away from the edge of the home side's box that Navas gets down well to stop. That should be that for Real, who are only seconds away from wrapping up a very comfortable victory.
Again, Benzema is presented with a good opportunity to make it 6-1 after getting himself into a great position inside the Legia penalty area, but this time his first-time volleyed effort is fired into the ground before being easily stopped by Malarz in the middle of the goal.
And now Benzema goes close! The home side win themselves a corner that is thumped into the middle of the box and only half cleared by Legia. The ball loops out to Kovacic and the Croatian immediately fires a shot back towards goal, but it bounces into the box and on to the head of Benzema, whose close-range, backwards effort loops over the top of the crossbar.
The fourth official has indicated that there will be three minutes of added time.
Real come back again quickly before Vazquez tees up Ronaldo on the edge of the Legia box, but this time the winger's first-time shot towards goal is poor and ends up scuffing off the outside of his boot and well away from its intended target.
Another great save by Malarz! Ronaldo picks up the ball on the edge of the Legia penalty area and spins quickly before unleashing a rocket of a shot towards the roof of the net, but, once again, Malarz is there to frustrate the Portuguese with a fantastic diving stop.
Chance for Nikolics! Odjidja-Ofoe picks up the ball from Kroos before teeing up Nikolics on the edge of the penalty area, but after doing well to beat two Real players the striker is unable to beat Navas with his shot towards the near post and instead has to settle for a corner.
Álvaro Morata
Goal
GOAL! It's five for Real! Ronaldo breaks down the left wing and beats both Bereszynski and Czerwinski before poking the ball into the path of Morata, who meets it well inside the box before slotting a low shot past Malarz at the near post.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Assist
That was great play by Ronaldo in the build-up. The Portuguese has had a slightly quiet evening, but he's certainly put in a good shift and did well to beat two Legia players before picking out Morata with perfect timing.
Another great opportunity for Ronaldo! The Portuguese plays a nice one-two with Benzema, who sends a lovely flick into the Legia penalty area, but the number seven's pass is scuffed and ends up rolling comfortably wide of the far post. He really should have done better with that!
M. Kopczyński
T. Moulin
Meanwhile, Moulin has been replaced by Kopczynski for Legia.
M. Kovačić
Marco Asensio
Real have made their final alteration of the night, with Asensio making way for Kovacic.
Great chance for Ronaldo! Benzema picks up the ball just inside the Legia penalty area over on the right-hand side of the box before firing it into the feet of Ronaldo, but the Portuguese's first-time strike is poorly hit and fails to find the bottom right-hand corner of the net.
Once again, Hlousek, who has looked dangerous during the second half, embarks on a marauding run down the left wing before swinging a dangerous cross into the heart of the Real penalty area, but Nikolics is unable to direct his headed effort towards goal and, off balance, ends up sending it sailing comfortably wide of the goal.
Legia move the ball around nicely deep inside the Real half of the pitch after Hlousek had made a good run forward down the left flank. The ball almost finds its way to Nikolics, who is in a good position in front of goal, but the attempted pass from Odjidja-Ofoe fails to find the striker.
N. Nikolić
M. Radović
And the second is Nikolics, who replaces Radovic up front.
V. Qazaishvili
Guilherme Marques
Legia have decided to make a double substitution. The first player to come on is Qazaishvili, who takes the place of Guilherme.
Real earn themselves a corner over on the left wing, and it's one that causes Legia a few problems. The visitors are just about able to half-clear the danger before the ball falls to Asensio on the edge of the penalty area, and the youngster then fires a low shot straight into the hands of Malarz in the middle of the goal.
Real lose possession in the middle of the pitch and Legia once again try to hit the home side on a quick counter. Hlousek breaks forward on a marauding run and penetrates the penalty area before firing a low shot towards the far post, but it's scuffed slightly by the full-back and fails to hit the target.
Álvaro Morata
Assist
That was a lovely cross by Morata to find Vazquez, but, once again, Legia were left exposed after pushing too many bodies forward, leaving Morata with space to run into down the left wing.
Lucas Vázquez
Goal
GOAL! Lovely play by Real! Morata breaks down the left flank and skips past Czerwinski with ease before firing a wonderful cross over to Vazquez, who meets the ball brilliantly before rifling a volleyed strike through the legs of Malarz and into the back of the net to increase Real's commanding lead.
Legia are unable to fully clear the danger and a heavy touch from Guilherme sends the ball bouncing over to Morata. The Spanish striker takes a quick touch before unleashing a rocket of a volley, but it's slightly too powerful and ends up flying just a yard or two over the top of the crossbar.
Ronaldo holds up the ball on the left-hand side of the Legia penalty area before cutting it back to Marcelo. The Brazilian then darts along the edge of the box and fires a cross towards Benzema, but Czerwinski is there to cut out the danger with a strong headed clearance.
Álvaro Morata
G. Bale
And the second is Morata, who replaces Bale for the final half an hour.
Lucas Vázquez
J. Rodríguez
Real have decided to make a double substitution. The first player to come on is Vazquez, who takes the place of James.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Yellow Card
And now Ronaldo enters the referee's book for a clumsy challenge on Bereszynski, who is tripped over from behind midway down the left flank.
M. Radović
Yellow Card
Radovic charges into Kroos and catches the German on the back of the ankle, resulting in a free-kick for Real and a yellow card for the goalscorer. The set-piece is taken quickly before the ball finds Benzema on the edge of the penalty area, but once again the Frenchman's pass fails to find Ronaldo in front of goal.
Benzema cuts into the left-hand side of the Legia penalty area before trying to tee up Ronaldo, but his sloppy pass is easily cut out and the visitors hit Real on a quick counter. They break away at speed before Guilherme tries to penetrate the box, but Varane is there to dispossess the Brazilian with a well-timed tackle.
Hlousek breaks down the left wing on a marauding run before whipping a dangerous cross into the heart of the penalty area, but Varane, who has had little to do this evening, is comfortably able to head the ball away from danger before it can find a Legia player in front of goal.
After spending most of the second half on the back foot, Legia are eventually able to push forward on a meaningful attacking move. They work the ball around quickly before it reaches Odjidja-Ofoe on the edge of the box, but the Belgian elects to shoot instead of teeing up Radovic and has to watch his effort sail over the top of the crossbar.
Asensio cuts inside from the right wing and quickly picks out James on the edge of the penalty area. The Colombian takes a quick touch before firing a thumping strike from 20 yards out, but it's quickly close down before a looping ball is eventually punched away by Malarz.
Bale steps up and unleashes a rocket of a shot from the resulting free-kick, but, not for the first time this evening, his shot on goal fails to beat the wall of Legia players camped just inside the penalty area.
T. Moulin
Yellow Card
Ouch! James breaks forward on a marauding run before being brought crashing to the ground by a crunching tackle from behind by Moulin. The referee allows play to go on as the ball finds Ronaldo on the edge of the Legia penalty area, but he's fouled by another painful sliding challenge, this time from Rzezniczak.
Bale weaves his way down the left wing before trying to fire a bouncing cross into the Legia penalty area, but it deflects off Bereszynski and out for a corner. Kroos' corner is punched away by Malarz but quickly comes back to Benzema, who unleashes a thumping shot that Malarz once again saves well.
Real move the ball around nicely inside the Legia half of the pitch as they send it from one flank to the other. Marcelo then cuts inside from the left wing and heads towards the penalty area before trying to tee up Ronaldo, but there's slightly too much power behind the pass and ends up bouncing off the Portuguese's knee and into the feet of Radovic.
And we're underway once again!
The two teams are making their way back out on to the pitch ahead of the start of the second half. Neither side have made any substitutions during the half-time break.
So far, so good for Real, who head into the half-time break with a well-deserved two-goal lead, despite a few nervy moments against a determined Legia side. The visitors have looked good going forward and deserved their goal after Danilo clumsily brought down Radovic, but at the other end the home side have constantly caused their opponents problems, with Ronaldo, Bale and Asensio all looking particularly dangerous.
HALF-TIME: REAL MADRID 3-1 LEGIA WARSAW
Almost lovely play by Real! Bale breaks down the right wing and cuts towards the Legia penalty area before firing a low cross towards Ronaldo. The Portuguese meets it well before trying to back-heel the ball back to Benzema, but the Frenchman ends up running past it and fails to get a shot away.
Hlousek gets himself into a good position deep down the left flank before swinging a low cross into the box. Radovic breaks towards goal and almost manages to make contact with the ball at the near post, but he misses it by the narrowest of margins and is unable to test Navas.
Real come back again quickly before Benzema, who is left in a pocket of space just outside of the Legia penalty area, tries to pick out Danilo with a pass over to the right wing. The Brazilian initially seems to do well to meet the ball before swinging it into the box, but the linesman's flag is quickly raised to indicate that the ball had actually gone out of play.
A lofted pass is thumped down the left flank and into the path of Benzema, who is put under pressure by Czerwinski and has to settle for a throw-in. It's sent short to Ronaldo before being worked over to Danilo on the opposite wing, but the full-back is quickly closed down and has to play the ball all the way back to the halfway line.
Legia move the ball around nicely just outside of the Real penalty area as they try to find a way back into the game. The home side have plenty of bodies back to deal with the danger, however, and Jodlowiec is eventually dispossessed by Kroos.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Assist
Assist Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro
Marco Asensio
Goal
GOAL! Real are two goals in front once again! Bale and Danilo link up well on the right-hand side of the Legia penalty area before the latter tees up Ronaldo, who is in a good position in front of goal. It initially looks as if he's going to shoot but he instead fakes a strike before poking the ball back to Asensio, who is easily able to slot a low shot into the back of the net from the edge of the box.
Almost a costly mistake by Bale! The Welshman spends far too long on the ball deep down the left wing and is dispossessed by Hlousek on the edge of the Real penalty area. The full-back cuts into the box before poking a pass back to Kucharczyk, but the forward is unable to hit the target with his swinging effort.
Real patiently pass the ball around as they try to find a way into the Legia penalty area, but the visitors are compact and well-organised and fail to allow the home side a way forward. Pepe eventually decides to thump a hopeful ball towards Benzema, but it's overhit and sails straight into the hands of Malarz.
A swinging cross from Danilo finds Benzema, and the striker quickly tries to take on Bereszynski before being clumsily pushed to the ground by the full-back, resulting in a free-kick for Real 20 yards away from the Legia goal. Ronaldo steps up and curls a shot towards the top left-hand corner of the net, but Malarz is there to push the strike away from danger.
Asensio goes close! Guilherme and Marcelo battle for the ball deep down the left wing, and it's the latter who comes out on top to win his side a corner. It's swung into the penalty area before being half-cleared to Asensio, and the youngster's rocket of a shot is well hit and flies just a yard or so over the top of the crossbar.
Real fail to clear the danger from the edge of their own penalty area, allowing Legia to keep pushing forward before winning themselves a corner over on the left wing. It's sent short before Guilherme attempts to whip a cross into the box, but there are plenty of white shirts there to deal with it.
Vital block by Rzezniczak! Real break away quickly before a low cross from Benzema picks out Ronaldo in the middle of the Legia penalty area, but as soon as Portuguese unleashes a shot he's closed down and dispossessed by Rzezniczak, who receives a boot to the knee as a result.
Benzema latches on to the ball on the edge of the Legia box before teeing up Marcelo, who had made a gut-busting run down the left channel. The Brazilian's first cross fails to beat Bereszynski before the second penetrates the box, but Czerwinski is there to clear the danger at the near post.
The ball flies around the Legia penalty area as Real desperately try to re-establish their two-goal. Bale scuffs a close-range effort before the ball falls to Benzema near to the penalty spot, but the Frenchman's thumping effort is pushed away by a great save by Malarz.
M. Radović
Penalty Goal
GOAL! Legia are back in the game! Radovic immediately grabs the ball and places it on the spot before side-footing a calm shot past Navas and into the bottom right-hand corner of the net. What a start to the game it's been!
PENALTY! Radovic breaks into the left-hand side of the Real penalty area and quickly tries to skip past Danilo, but the Brazilian sticks out a foot and clumsily brings the striker crashing to the ground, leaving the referee with no choice put to point to the spot.
T. Jodłowiec
Own Goal
A lovely cross-field pass from Asensio finds Benzema deep down the left flank, and the striker cuts inside before picking out Marcelo. The full-back is in a pocket of space and quickly unleashes a shot, and it's one that takes a wicked deflection off Jodlowiec and past Malarz, who was rooted to the spot.
Guilherme is caught sleeping in possession just outside of the Legia penalty area, allowing Benzema to steal the ball from under his nose before poking it over to Ronaldo. The Portuguese heads towards the edge of the box before trying to find Marcelo with a clever ball over to the left, but Bereszynski is there to cut out the danger at the vital moment.
G. Bale
Goal
GOAL! Real have taken the lead! Danilo pokes the ball over to the right wing, where Bale is in a pocket of space. He takes on Hlousek and isn't closed down at all quickly enough by the full-back, allowing him to skip into the penalty area before firing a low shot past Malarz and into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.
Danilo
Assist
Assist Danilo Luiz da Silva
Marcelo gets himself into a great position deep down the left wing before swinging a dangerous cross into the heart of the Legia penalty area. Ronaldo lunges towards the ball and almost meets it on the edge of the six-yard box, but the ball ends up missing it by the narrowest of margins.
Real immediately try to hit Legia on a quick counter-attack as they look to take advantage of the amount of players camped far up the pitch, but Bale is unable to test Malarz with his long-range effort and instead sends it a few yards wide of the near post.
Odjidja-Ofoe hits the post! Legia move the ball around nicely just outside of the Real penalty area before Guilherme tees up Odjidja-Ofoe on the edge of the box, and the Belgian then unleashes a great low strike that beats the outstretched limbs of Navas before hitting the woodwork. What a goal that would have been!
Once again, Real are caught at the back after pushing too many bodies forward. Legia hit the home side on another swift counter-attack that this time ends with Jodlowiec on the right-hand side of the box, but he, like Moulin, is unable to beat Navas, who sticks out a foot to deny the number three.
Chance for Bale! Ronaldo twists and turns deep down the left wing before curling a dangerous cross over to the far post, where Bale is waiting in a pocket of space, but the Welshman is unable to hit the target with his first-time effort and ends up sending it well wide of the goal.
After dealing with a corner, Legia try to push forward on a quick counter-attack through the middle of the pitch. Odjidja-Ofoe bursts forward before having to spin and pick out Moulin 25 yards away from the Real goal, but the midfielder's long-range effort ends up sailing straight into the hands of Navas.
James picks up the ball just outside of the Legia penalty area and immediately tees up Ronaldo, who is in a good position to his right, but the Portuguese's low shot is deflected past Malarz and into the side-netting.
Ronaldo is tripped over in the middle of the pitch, resulting in a free-kick for Real in a dangerous position 35 yards away from the Legia goal. The Portuguese unleashes a thumping shot that hits the wall in front of him before bouncing into the path of Benzema, but the striker is unable to get a shot away and has to settle for a corner.
After a patient start to the game from both sides, Kroos picks up the ball on the halfway line and quickly tries to set up Danilo. The Brazilian embarks on a marauding run down the right flank as he tries to latch on to the ball, but, despite his best efforts, he's unable to keep it in play.
And we're off! Real get us underway, attacking from right to left.
The two sides are making their way out on to the pitch, with just a few minutes to go until kick-off.
Meanwhile, Legia boss Jacek Magiera has made just one alteration to the side that featured against Pogon Szczecin in their last outing, with Nemanja Nikolics making way for Michal Kucharczyk.
Zinedine Zidane has decided to make three changes to the Real side that started the win against Betis on the weekend, with Danilo, Marco Asensio and James Rodriguez coming into the starting line-up to replace Dani Carvajal, Mateo Kovacic and Isco, respectively.
Real Madrid substitutes: Casilla, Carvajal, Nacho, Kovacic, Isco, Vazquez, Morata.
Real Madrid XI (4-3-3): Navas; Danilo, Pepe, Varane, Marcelo; Asensio, Kroos, James; Bale, Benzema, Ronaldo.
There’s just over 15 minutes left to go until kick-off, so let’s have a look at how the two teams will be lining up this evening…
Legia head to Madrid searching for their first points of the Champions League campaign, as so far it’s been an incredibly tough ride for the club from the capital. A 6-0 thumping at home to Borussia Dortmund was followed by a 2-0 defeat against Sporting Lisbon, and the same could be on the cards this evening if they are unable to find a fix for the defensive problems that have plagued them this season.
Despite winning their 11th Ekstraklasa title last season, it’s been a tough start to the campaign for Legia, who have struggled in their opening 12 games and currently sit in a disappointing 13th place, 12 points behind league leaders Lechia Gdansk. Just one victory from six games resulted in former boss Besnik Hasi losing his job last month, whilst new manager and former player Jacek Magiera has also managed to win only once since taking charge.
Real have been hit with injuries to several key players in recent weeks, with Sergio Ramos, Casemiro, Luka Modric and James Rodriguez all missing out on the weekend. Zinedine Zidane is able to welcome back the latter tonight, however, and he is set to start as part of a midfield trio that could cause Legia plenty of problems.
After a tough few weeks in which they failed to pick up a single victory in four consecutive games, Real returned to winning ways on the weekend, and in emphatic fashion too, as they comfortably thrashed Real Betis 6-1. The win, their first since the middle of September, means that they are now unbeaten in their last 22 competitive clashes, setting them up perfectly for tonight’s contest against the champions of Poland.
Good evening and welcome to our live text commentary of today’s Champions League group stage game between Real Madrid and Legia Warsaw at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.
Commentary