Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro said teammate Cristiano Ronaldo is "the best player in the world" after the Portugal captain earned another scoring record in his side's victory over Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.
Ronaldo opened the scoring at the Parc des Princes with a towering far-post header, equalling former Manchester United teammate Ruud van Nistelrooy's record of scoring in nine consecutive Champions League games.
He now has scored 22 goals in his last 13 Champions League appearances, including three against PSG, three against Atletico Madrid, two against Juventus, two against Tottenham Hotspur and five against Bayern Munich.
"As for Cristiano, we're talking about the best player in the world," Casemiro said after the game, which Madrid won 2-1 to advance to the quarterfinals 5-2 on aggregate. "I want to continue to enjoy seeing him score goals and put in the performances he does, because he's the best player in the world."
Madrid's inconsistent form throughout the season mean that their hopes for silverware rest on success in the Champions League.
Casemiro said a third consecutive trophy was possible as Zinedine Zidane's side cannot be defeated when they are at their best.
"We always want to do our best and tonight we've shown that when we perform like that, we're unbeatable," Casemiro said. "There are days when things don't go your way and you can't always win, but we're a strong side, both at home and on the road."
Ronaldo's form dipped earlier this season, as he scored just twice in his first 10 La Liga appearances.
But Madrid director of institutional relations Emilio Butragueno told AS that when the toughest games came around, Ronaldo, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner showed his best form.
"[Ronaldo] is the Ballon d'Or. He always shows up," Butragueno said. "When the greatest difficulties come, he comes up with his best performances."