Actual Madrid executed a smash-and-grab efficiency within the first leg of their spherical of 16 Champions League conflict in opposition to Purple Bull Leipzig. Los Blancos, who wish to win the competitors for the fifteenth time, scored the one objective within the forty eighth minute courtesy of Brahim Diaz.
Leipzig had a number of possibilities to equalise and even win the sport nevertheless it was Madrid who managed to knick away an unpleasant win that has given them a large benefit going into the second leg on the Santiago Bernabeu.
Madrid had been with out the providers of their most in-form participant, Jude Bellingham, however that didn’t have an effect on them as his substitute, Diaz, scored among the finest targets of the season to attain the one objective of the sport.
Actual Madrid win in typical model
Properly, Actual Madrid taking part in lacklustre soccer in UEFA Champions League however nonetheless successful the sport is a narrative we have now seen time and again, particularly in the previous few seasons. And this sport was one other reminder of why Los Blancos are kings of this event.
The 14-time winners had been put below quite a lot of stress by the house workforce as they struggled to discover a constant rhythm for the complete 90 minutes. Nevertheless, they capitalised on the numerous second when Brahim Diaz conjured one of many targets of the event to place his aspect within the entrance.
VAR controversyÂ
It took solely two minutes within the sport earlier than the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) needed to get entangled. It began when an tried volley from Xaver Schlager bounced awkwardly earlier than the ball discovered its solution to Benjamin Sesko, who headed the ball into the again of the web.
The linesman flagged for offside, however replays confirmed Rodrygo was taking part in him onside. The VAR based mostly its determination on the truth that Benjamin Henrichs seemed to be blocking the imaginative and prescient of Madrid keeper Andriy Lunin, which saved the rating at 0-0.
Actual Madrid’s backline removed from goodÂ
Within the La Liga, Actual Madrid are presently on an 18-game unbeaten run stretching all the best way again to September 2023. Nevertheless, Beneath Leipzig’s intense urgent, Los Blancos’ defence made a number of errors, and it was solely a mixture of some poor ending by Leipzig and a few sensible goalkeeping by Lunin that spared their blushes.
Most of their errors had been self-inflicted, as they made some poor passes. Whereas this could possibly be checked out as one of many off days contemplating their earlier historical past within the event, Carlo Ancelotti will hope his again 4 increase their requirements rapidly if they’re to progress additional within the event.
Learn Extra: How Ivory Coast accomplished their faIrytale run to win AFCON 2023
Andriy Lunin proves his mettleÂ
With Thibaut Courtois’s long-term harm concern and Kepa Arrizabalaga’s woefully out of shape, Ancelotti has put his belief in Andriy Lunin because the workforce’s essential shot-stopper. And in one of many greatest video games of his profession, the Ukrainian made some strong saves. A number of of his saves got here when the rating was 0-0, which saved Madrid within the sport.
Lunin additionally impressed along with his spectacular ball-playing expertise and excellently learn the sport, timing his run to perfection. If not for the Ukrainian, the results of the sport would have been completely different.
Within the different sport of the evening, Manchester Metropolis received 3-1 on the highway in opposition to Copenhagen, with Kevin de Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, and Phil Foden scoring for the guests, whereas Magnus Mattsson bought the only real strike for the Danish workforce.