Juventus tops Real Madrid, 2-1, in first leg of Champions League semifinal

Alvaro Morata scored against his old team in the ninth minute, helping Juventus beat defending champion Real Madrid, 2-1, Tuesday night in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 54th goal of the season for Madrid, which will attempt to overturn the deficit when it hosts the second leg of the total-goals series in May 13.

Barcelona is home against Bayern Munich on Wednesday in the other semifinal.

Acquired by Juventus last July after helping Madrid win a record 10th European title, Morata didn’t celebrate after scoring the opening goal. Claudio Marchisio slotted the ball through to Carlos Tevez, whose shot deflected off a hand of goalkeeper Iker Casillas into the path of Morata.

Morata tapped the ball in from close range, Juventus’ fourth shot on target.

Ronaldo tied the score in the 27th minute with his record 76th Champions League goal, one more than Barcelona’s Lionel Messi. Ronaldo had an empty net to shoot at from close range after goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon was unable to get to James Rodriguez’s cross.

Tevez, Ronaldo’s former teammate on Manchester United, put the hosts back ahead in the 58th minute when he converted a penalty kick after he was fouled by Dani Carvajal. Tevez had run almost the entire length of the field before he was brought down.

Juventus last reached the final in 2003 and has not won the title since 1996.