Real Madrid vs. Juventus, 2018: Revisiting dramatic UCL quarterfinal, from Ronaldo wondergoal to Buffon rant

As Real Madrid get set to host Italian giants Juventus in the league phase of the 2025/26 Champions League, the matchup recalls a host of other electric meetings between these two staples of European competition.

Over the years, the two clubs have met a total of 22 times heading into this game at the Santiago Bernabeu, and have produced a host of famous moments.

However, the 180 minutes across two Champions League quarterfinal legs back in 2018 are some of the most replayed in the modern era of the competition, with the two games providing fireworks at both ends, giving fans iconic goals and memorable moments to savour.

AllSportsPeople looks back at those two games that resulted in two of the most acclaimed moments of Ronaldo's career and provided a springboard to Real Madrid's unprecedented third-straight Champions League title.

MORE: Ronaldo, Messi and the leading Champions League goal-scorers in history

What happened in Real Madrid vs. Juventus in 2018?

Real Madrid and Juventus have played some memorable matches over the decades, but possibly none more iconic than their Champions League quarterfinal matchup in 2018, which saw Los Blancos advance to the final four in dramatic fashion.

First leg: Juventus 0-3 Real Madrid

In the first leg in Turin, Real Madrid would run away as big winners, setting themselves up for a coast into the semifinals — or so they thought.

Los Blancos would go in front just three minutes into the match, as Ronaldo rifled in a shot from the top-left corner of the six-yard box, firing it past Buffon and inside the far post.

It would remain 1-0 at halftime, but shortly past the hour mark, Ronaldo's legend would grow even greater. On a cross by Dani Carvajal, the Portugal star delivered one of the most memorable goals of his career, a bicycle kick to snatch a 2-0 lead.

THREAD: Cristiano Ronaldo Champions League moments 🔥

👏 The night Juventus Stadium rose to applaud @Cristiano's unbelievable bicycle kick...#UCL | @realmadriden pic.twitter.com/Tfh3dEe45d

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) February 5, 2021

From there, Madrid would add another eight minutes later as Marcelo finished the scoring, of course on an assist from CR7.

Second leg: Real Madrid 1-3 Juventus

Down 3-0 on aggregate, Juventus had a monumental task in the second leg at the Bernabeu. But just as Madrid did in the first meeting, Juve found an early advantage just two minutes into the game as Mario Mandzukic delivered a header to give the Italian side hope.

The Croatia international would repeat that feat past the half-hour mark, out-jumping Carvajal at the far post to power the ball into the net.

Suddenly, the Bianconeri just needed just one more. Raphael Varane hit the crossbar just before the break, but Juve would draw level in the 61st minute on a mistake by Keylor Navas in goal, as he went down to one knee to claim a cross but spilled the ball, and Blaise Matuidi pounced to dramatically level the match at 3-3. With away goals still used in the competition at this point in time, Juve knew that another goal would leave Madrid needing to score twice to avoid elimination.

From there, the two sides battled until the iconic moment in the eighth minute of added time. Juventus defender Medhi Benatia leaped and wrapped his leg around the waist of Madrid playmaker Isco as he looked to receive a dangerous delivery in front of goal, and while he got a touch on the ball, referee Michael Oliver deemed it a foul and pointed to the spot.

It was a highly contentious decision, and it sent Juventus goalkeeper Buffon through the roof. The veteran keeper was sent off for his reaction and ranted to the media after the final whistle. That would force Wojciech Szczesny off the bench cold and into the goal, where he was unable to stop Ronaldo's effort from the spot to put Madrid into the semifinals on a 4-3 aggregate score.

Did Cristiano Ronaldo bicycle kick goal vs. Juventus win Puskas Award?

Incredibly, Ronaldo's second goal in the first leg against Juventus did not win the Puskas Award at the 2018 FIFA The Best Awards.

The goal was nominated but finished second in the voting to the winner, Mohamed Salah's strike against Everton. Salah overpowers one defender before dribbling by another and finishing a curler into the top corner of the net.

Ronaldo's goal garnered 22% of the vote, while Salah's winning goal secured 38%.

The award has come under criticism in the years since, as Ronaldo's goal was objectively more difficult, came in a more prestigious competition, and was against a stronger opponent.

The nominees list also featured Gareth Bale's sensational bicycle kick in the Champions League final against Liverpool.

Why was Gianluigi Buffon sent off against Real Madrid?

As Oliver pointed to the spot in his stoppage-time penalty decision against Benatia at the end of the second leg, Buffon went absolutely ballistic.

While holding the ball, he charged the English official and screamed his head off, protesting the call with venom and vigor. Oliver felt the reaction was over the top, and immediately reached for his pocket to show Buffon the red card.

After being sent off, Buffon continued to show aggression until he eventually left the field of play.

After the match, the Italian goalkeeper was still feeling the anger. "He [Oliver] made those two decisions at the end, and he proved to be a killer, an animal" Buffon told the media. "Only someone who has a trash bin where the heart should be could make this kind of decision.

"The team gave its all, but a human being cannot destroy dreams like that at the end of an extraordinary comeback on a dubious situation."

Buffon has since shown remorse for his response. "Now that a few years have gone by, I am ashamed of what I said," Buffon told Italian publication Tuttomercatoweb in March of 2025. "I was old enough to know better. I was the captain."

Yet he still feels if the situation was replayed, he would have the same kind of reaction. "I must also admit that if I had to go back and do it all again, I'd say the exact same thing. At that moment, it wasn't just a defeat, it was something special, an epic comeback, in an epic stadium, with a squad that showed special character and unity. We were crazy, and dreamers. To this day I don't know why I was sent off, so the anger in the interviews was also down to that."

Real Madrid vs. Juventus head to head all-time

Real Madrid and Juventus have matched up 22 times throughout their history, with nearly every match taking place in Europe's top competition.

Their first meeting came all the way back in 1962 in the European Cup quarterfinals, with Madrid winning 1-0 on the road, before a 1-0 defeat in the second leg at home would lead to a playoff, which Madrid won 3-1.

They have met twice in the Champions League final, with Real Madrid winning both times, securing the 1998 and 2017 European titles with such victories.

• Real Madrid wins: 12
  • Real Madrid advance: 7
• Juventus wins: 8
  • Juventus advance: 3
• Draws: 2

* Played at a neutral venue