It was a Real Madrid without regular centre-backs who stepped into the Champions League round of 16 away against RB Leipzig.
“Los Blancos” lined up with Aurelien Tchouameni and Nacho in central lock, flanked by Dani Carvajal and Ferland Mendy.
As you know, Jude Bellingham was missing. The England star will be out for a couple of weeks after spraining his foot in the weekend’s 4-1 win against Girona.
Meanwhile, Vinicius Jr made his 50th CL appearance. He is the fifth youngest ever to reach that milestone. The four ahead of him are Iker Casillas, Cesc Fabregas, Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi – in that order.
Leipzig started briskly and threatened already after two minutes. Then they had a ball in which was waved off for offside – even though the goalscorer was on the right side.
Benjamin Sisko headed the ball in, but Benjamin Henrichs was in an offside position and affected the situation. The assistant referee raised the flag and VAR confirmed the decision.
– What’s a shame is that if he (Henrichs) doesn’t stand there, it will surely be a goal anyway. But I think it is absolutely right that it is condemned, says Mikael Lustig in TV4 Play’s studio.
The goal immediately became controversial online. One who agrees with Lustig is Pavel Fernandez at Marca.
– Henrichs is not the one who finishes, but he clearly influences and also pushes Andrij Lunin (the Real goalkeeper), he says.
Real struggled to create dangerous chances in the first half, but the second half barely got started before a certain offensive play stole the show.
A wrong-footed Brahim Diaz turned away an opponent, got past two others, turned in from the right – and screwed in 1-0 with his left.
– Oh oh oh! What a performance by Brahim Diaz! says Adam Pinthorp in TV4 Play’s broadcast.
Diaz celebrated by extending his arms like injured teammate Bellingham, who he replaced tonight. The Englishman himself wrote directly on X:
“Oh my god Brahim!!!”
The goal meant that Leipzig had failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 14 Champions League games at home.
The Germans soon found their way back to their fine start and threatened with both Dani Olmo and a fine performance from Xavi Simons, but Real held tight.
Twenty minutes remained when the visitors countered through Diaz, whose pass reached Vinicius. Brassen challenged and bumped the ball into the post.
In the other direction, Leipzig chased an equalizer while the clock was ticking. Sesko plunged into the penalty area and pushed off with his right, but Lunin saved.
Just minutes later, Amadou Haidara volleyed home. That time too, Lunin was on the scoresheet, when he saved out to the corner with one hand.
Real were able to hold off and collect their seventh straight victory in this year’s edition of the Champions League. In the group stage, they won all six matches.
The Spaniards have now kept a clean sheet in three out of seven CL matches. Only Real Sociedad is sharper (four). Lunin made a total of nine saves tonight – just like Thibaut Courtois in the final against Liverpool in 2022.
However, the Real sun had its spots. Just before the end, Diaz stepped off with a calf injury. The match hero himself gives an update.
– I don’t know right now. Tomorrow I’ll be tested and I hope it’s nothing, says Diaz after the final whistle and also comments on the goal:
– I get the ball, make my first one nicely and see that they are afraid to go into a duel. They back off. And then I place it in the far corner. I saw “Vini” and wanted to pass the ball to him, but hesitated and shot instead. It was a nice goal.
The second leg will be played on March 6 at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Startelvor:
RB Leipzig: Gulacsi, Klostermann, Orban, Simakan, Henrichs, Raum, Schlager, Dani Olmo, Xavi Simons, Openda, Sesko
Real Madrid: Lunin, Carvajal, Tchouameni, Nacho, Mendy, Valverde, Kroos, Camavinga, Rodrygo, Brahim, Vinicius Jr
All matches in the Champions League are broadcast on TV4 Play.
