Bale Man-Buns Madrid over AS Roma

Group G looked, on paper, to be one of the more competitive pools in this season's Champions League.

Part of this logic was based on the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid's ranks and the overall quality of AS Roma.

It may well still be, but if so, the Italian side's gonna have to pick up the pace.

Dudes got smoked at the Bernabéu to the tune of a 3-0 whitewash -- no pun intended -- as Real confirmed yet again that a great club is defined by more than one player.

 

In the first ten minutes, Real showed an incredible dominance over Roma. The dude responsible for keeping the Italian side alive was 'keeper Robin Olsen, whose flurry of excellent saves -- such as on Gareth Bale’s half-volley and Sergio Ramos’ header -- kept the final score from being a total embarrassment.

However, Olsen could do nothing when, in the 45th minute, Isco brilliantly curled in a well-placed free kick to open the scoring:

 

After the break, Roma almost leveled with Cengiz Ünder, who drove forward and fired.

However, Keylor Navas made a great save:

 

Real was more productive on the other end.

In the 58th minute, dudes doubled the lead through Bale. Luka Modrić found him on the left. The Welshman got into the box, beat Kostas Manolas and as Elvis Costello once sang in a much more sinister way, his aim was true:

 

Roma barely threatened Navas after that -- or for most of the match, really -- and the one-way traffic continued. 

It produced one more.

In the 91st, Marcelo found substitute Mariano, who dribbled past one defender before bending a magnificent effort into the corner:

 

All in a day's work for the Galacticos.

The assessment for Roma: Gotta regroup. Quickly.