Cristiano Ronaldo sets La Liga record with 23rd hat-trick
Sergio Ramos says the Portuguese superstar's stats are 'madness' after setting Spanish league mark
Cristiano Ronaldo's teammate Sergio Ramos says the superstar's stats are insane after the Portuguese grabbed a record 23rd La Liga hat-trick to guide leaders Real Madrid to a 3-0 victory over Celta Vigo.
It also helped the European champions extend their club record winning streak to 18 matches in all competitions and equal the record run of victories set by Barcelona between October 2005 and January 2006.
You have to invent words to define him. He is beating all the records and is possibly in the best form of his career
With his latest treble he overtook Spanish greats Alfredo Di Stefano, of Real Madrid, and Athletic Bilbao's Telmo Zarra and he has three more hat-tricks than his present-day rival Lionel Messi, at Barcelona.
"The statistics he is producing are madness," Ramos said. "To be honest it is a privilege to play at Real Madrid with a player like him. You have to invent words to define him. He is beating all the records and is possibly in the best form of his career."
Ronaldo, the inspiration behind Real's blistering form this season, struck the opening goal from the penalty spot nine minutes before the break after what looked like a dive.
"It was a little unfair, we were in the game until then," Celta defender Jonny Castro said. "I touched him, but he fell at the last moment."