Real Madrid virtually secured their place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League on Wednesday night with a stunning 6-1 demolition of Schalke.
The nine-time winners had only won once before in 25 trips to Germany but victory was never in doubt at the Veltins-Arena with Real's most potent attacking weapons coming to the fore.
Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo all scored twice as an insatiable Madrid left Schalke requiring a miracle at the Bernabeu in three weeks time despite Klaas-Jan Huntelaar scoring the goal of the night in time added-on.
Benzema, Bale and Ronaldo all scored twice
It is the second time Madrid have scored six in Europe this season, following their 6-1 evisceration of Galatasaray in the group stage.
Schalke 1-6 Real Madrid
FC Schalke 04 v Real Madrid CF - UEFA Champions League Round of 16(01 of25)
GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 26: The final scores is seen after the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg match between Schalke 04 and Real Madrid CF at Veltins-Arena on February 26, 2014 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. (Photo by Dennis Grombkowski/Bongarts/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FC Schalke 04 v Real Madrid CF - UEFA Champions League Round of 16(02 of25)
GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 26: Christiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid celebrates after scoring his team's sixth goal during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg match between Schalke 04 and Real Madrid CF at Veltins-Arena on February 26, 2014 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. (Photo by Dennis Grombkowski/Bongarts/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FC Schalke 04 v Real Madrid CF - UEFA Champions League Round of 16(03 of25)
GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 26: Christiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid celebrates after scoring his team's sixth goal during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg match between Schalke 04 and Real Madrid CF at Veltins-Arena on February 26, 2014 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. (Photo by Dennis Grombkowski/Bongarts/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FC Schalke 04 v Real Madrid CF - UEFA Champions League Round of 16(04 of25)
GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 26: Christiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid scores his team's sixth goal during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg match between Schalke 04 and Real Madrid CF at Veltins-Arena on February 26, 2014 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. (Photo by Dennis Grombkowski/Bongarts/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Real Madrid's Brazilian defender Marcelo vies for the ball during the first-leg round of 16 UEFA Champions League football match Schalke 04 vs real Madrid in Gelsenkirchen, western Germany on February 26, 2014. AFP PHOTO / PATRIK STOLLARZ (Photo credit should read PATRIK STOLLARZ/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FC Schalke 04 v Real Madrid CF - UEFA Champions League Round of 16(06 of25)
GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 26: Christiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid scores his team's sixth goal during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg match between Schalke 04 and Real Madrid CF at Veltins-Arena on February 26, 2014 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. (Photo by Dennis Grombkowski/Bongarts/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FC Schalke 04 v Real Madrid CF - UEFA Champions League Round of 16(07 of25)
GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 26: Christian Fuchs of FC Schalke 04 reacts during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg match between Schalke 04 and Real Madrid CF at Veltins-Arena on February 26, 2014 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. (Photo by Dennis Grombkowski/Bongarts/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FC Schalke 04 v Real Madrid CF - UEFA Champions League Round of 16(08 of25)
GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 26: Christiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid celebrates after the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg match between Schalke 04 and Real Madrid CF at Veltins-Arena on February 26, 2014 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. (Photo by Dennis Grombkowski/Bongarts/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FC Schalke 04 v Real Madrid CF - UEFA Champions League Round of 16(09 of25)
GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 26: Real Madrid players celebrate after the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg match between Schalke 04 and Real Madrid CF at Veltins-Arena on February 26, 2014 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. (Photo by Dennis Grombkowski/Bongarts/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FC Schalke 04 v Real Madrid CF - UEFA Champions League Round of 16(10 of25)
GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 26: Ralf Faehrmann of FC Schalke 04 reacts after the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg match between Schalke 04 and Real Madrid CF at Veltins-Arena on February 26, 2014 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. (Photo by Dennis Grombkowski/Bongarts/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FC Schalke 04 v Real Madrid CF - UEFA Champions League Round of 16(11 of25)
GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 26: Iker Casillas of Real Madrid reacts after the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg match between Schalke 04 and Real Madrid CF at Veltins-Arena on February 26, 2014 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. (Photo by Dennis Grombkowski/Bongarts/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FBL-EUR-C1-SCHALKE-REAL MADRID(12 of25)
Real Madrid's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (R) and Schalke's Austrian defender Christian Fuchs vie for the ball during the first-leg round of 16 UEFA Champions League football match Schalke 04 vs real Madrid in Gelsenkirchen, western Germany on February 26, 2014. AFP PHOTO / PATRIK STOLLARZ (Photo credit should read PATRIK STOLLARZ/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FC Schalke 04 v Real Madrid CF - UEFA Champions League Round of 16(13 of25)
GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 26: Gareth Bale (L) of Madrid celebrates his team's fifth goal with team mates during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg match between FC Schalke 04 and Real Madrid at Veltins-Arena on February 26, 2014 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Bongarts/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FC Schalke 04 v Real Madrid CF - UEFA Champions League Round of 16(14 of25)
GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 26: Gareth Bale (C) of Madrid celebrates his team's fifth goal with team mates Karim Benzema (L) and Pepe during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg match between FC Schalke 04 and Real Madrid at Veltins-Arena on February 26, 2014 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Bongarts/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Schalke's Cameroonian defender Joel Matip and Real Madrid's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (R) vie for the ball during the first-leg round of 16 UEFA Champions League football match Schalke 04 vs real Madrid in Gelsenkirchen, western Germany on February 26, 2014. AFP PHOTO / PATRIK STOLLARZ (Photo credit should read PATRIK STOLLARZ/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FBL-EUR-C1-SCHALKE-REAL MADRID(16 of25)
Real Madrid's Welsh striker Gareth Bale is substituted for Real Madrid's forward Jese during the first-leg round of 16 UEFA Champions League football match Schalke 04 vs real Madrid in Gelsenkirchen, western Germany on February 26, 2014. AFP PHOTO / PATRIK STOLLARZ (Photo credit should read PATRIK STOLLARZ/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FC Schalke 04 v Real Madrid CF - UEFA Champions League Round of 16(17 of25)
GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 26: Felipe Santana of Schalke reacts during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg match between FC Schalke 04 and Real Madrid at Veltins-Arena on February 26, 2014 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Bongarts/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FC Schalke 04 v Real Madrid CF - UEFA Champions League Round of 16(18 of25)
GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 26: Gareth Bale of Madrid scores his team's fifth goal against goalkeeper Ralf Faehrmann of Schalke during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg match between FC Schalke 04 and Real Madrid at Veltins-Arena on February 26, 2014 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Bongarts/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FBL-EUR-C1-SCHALKE-REAL MADRID(19 of25)
Schalke's Cameroonian defender Joel Matip and Real Madrid's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (R) vie for the ball during the first-leg round of 16 UEFA Champions League football match Schalke 04 vs real Madrid in Gelsenkirchen, western Germany on February 26, 2014. AFP PHOTO / PATRIK STOLLARZ (Photo credit should read PATRIK STOLLARZ/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FBL-EUR-C1-SCHALKE-REAL MADRID(20 of25)
Real Madrid's Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti (L) decides to substitute Real Madrid's Welsh striker Gareth Bale during the first-leg round of 16 UEFA Champions League football match Schalke 04 vs real Madrid in Gelsenkirchen, western Germany on February 26, 2014. AFP PHOTO / PATRIK STOLLARZ (Photo credit should read PATRIK STOLLARZ/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FBL-EUR-C1-SCHALKE-REAL-MADRID(21 of25)
Real Madrid's midfielder Isco vies for the ball during the first-leg round of 16 UEFA Champions League football match Schalke 04 vs real Madrid in Gelsenkirchen, western Germany on February 26, 2014. AFP PHOTO / RONNY HARTMANN (Photo credit should read PATRIK STOLLARZ/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FBL-EUR-C1-SCHALKE-REAL MADRID(22 of25)
Real Madrid's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after scoring his team's sixth goal during the first-leg round of 16 UEFA Champions League football match Schalke 04 vs real Madrid in Gelsenkirchen, western Germany on February 26, 2014. AFP PHOTO / PATRIK STOLLARZ (Photo credit should read PATRIK STOLLARZ/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FC Schalke 04 v Real Madrid CF - UEFA Champions League Round of 16(23 of25)
GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 26: Julian Draxler of Schalke controles the ball during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg match between FC Schalke 04 and Real Madrid at Veltins-Arena on February 26, 2014 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Bongarts/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FC Schalke 04 v Real Madrid CF - UEFA Champions League Round of 16(24 of25)
GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 26: Gareth Bale of Madrid controles the ball during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg match between FC Schalke 04 and Real Madrid at Veltins-Arena on February 26, 2014 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Bongarts/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FC Schalke 04 v Real Madrid CF - UEFA Champions League Round of 16(25 of25)
GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 26: Head coach Jens Keller of Schalke gestures during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg match between FC Schalke 04 and Real Madrid at Veltins-Arena on February 26, 2014 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Bongarts/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)