A stunning free-kick from Cristiano Ronaldo and a Karim Benzema brace saw Real Madrid come from behind to comfortably beat Hertha Berlin 3-1 in the German capital in a friendly on Wednesday evening.

Winger Patrick Ebert gave Hertha a schock lead after just 18 minutes and the Bundesliga side looked lively for just under half an hour, but Madrid turned the match around in the space of five minutes through Ronaldo and Benzema, who also added a second shortly into the second half.

Madrid coach Jose Mourinho picked a strong side for the match in Berlin’s Olympic Stadium, with Iker Casillas in goal, Alvaro Arbeloa, Pepe, Ricardo Carvalho and Marcelo at the back, Xabi Alonso and €30 million summer signing Fabio Coentrao in midfield, behind Mesut Ozil, Ronaldo and recent recruit Jose Callejon, and Benzema in the central striker role.

But Madrid did not have things all their own way early on as Hertha started brightly.

Casillas made a meal of Raffael’s long-range effort, while Ebert was a constant threat and Pepe made one key intervention to deny the German side.

And the Bundesliga outfit shocked their illustrious visitors after 18 minutes, when Ebert slotted home neatly with an angled drive from just inside the box when the cross looked to have evaded everyone.

Madrid looked somewhat shocked, but the Germans’ lead was deserved.

The Spanish side soon found their feet, however, and Callejon saw a good penalty shout turned down minutes later.

And after Benzema had blasted just over the bar, Madrid did level from a set piece – in spectacular fashion.

It was scored, inevitably, by Ronaldo, for whom no match is a friendly, with the Portuguese blasting an unstoppable drive into the top corner to equalise brilliantly after 28 minutes.

Madrid never looked back after that and Benzema made it 2-1 five minutes later, when he latched onto Callejon’s pass and slotted a clinical finish past Hertha goalkeeper Thomas Kraft.

Cristiano then hit the post with a fierce drive and Ozil fired over the bar as Madrid piled on the pressure before the break.

After it, Benzema soon made it 3-1 as he took the ball around Kraft and slid into the empty net after good work from half-time substitute Sami Khedira, who had won back possession and set up the Frenchman.

Mourinho rang the changes after that and the game lost much of its earlier intensity.

Raffael came close with a blistering long-range effort for Hertha and Khedira, yet to score for Madrid, hesitated in a great position 14 minutes from time.

Kaka, on as a subsitute, also threatened with a late free-kick and Hertha failed to capitalise on a shocking mistake from Raul Albiol two minutes from time.

Hertha Berlin 1-3 Real Madrid Highlights