Group B has a completely unexpected development. The most successful team in the history of the Real Madrid Champions League is in last place with one point after two rounds. After the initial sensational defeat with Shakhtar, he was almost not enough for Mönchengladbach, who, apart from the end, showed a great tactical match.
Marcus Thuram’s goals put Real in a precarious situation, but he did not give up and in the final minutes managed to equalize in the final 2: 2. Real’s point was saved by Casemiro in the third minute. The foals may be disappointed with the result in the end, after all they led by two goals in the 86th minute. Even so, Real’s current position is unenviable. Just one point on the account and two duels with Inter Milan in front of him.
Over the weekend, Real Madrid won in El Clásico on the ground of Barcelona’s biggest rival and also went to Mönchengladbach to win. After the defeat with Shakhtar, he needed it as salt. Inter Milan, who saved a 2: 2 draw at the last minute in the first round, also found out that it is not advisable to underestimate Foals. Mönchengladbach also tuned in to the winning shootout in Mainz over the weekend.
Zinédine Zidane made only one change to the position of the defender compared to the match with Barcelona and the injured Nacha was replaced by Lucas Vázquez. Home coach Marco Rose was more creative in this respect and reached the team exactly five times compared to the weekend.
The German team beat the Spanish champion with clear tactics, defending the team and waiting for the right moment to score a goal. Real had an optical advantage, but he didn’t get any chance for a long time. Karim Benzema made a superb strike after 16 minutes with a shot straight in front of the goal after a long ball through the middle, but one of the visitors’ defenders got a foot in at the last second and warded it off for a corner. And after half an hour of play, exactly the long-awaited opportunity for Mönchengladbach came. The beginning of everything was a badly deflected balloon, a home rebound and the infallible ending of Marcus Thuram. The fans of the White Ballet did not laugh, but there was still a lot of time left until the end of the half and the whole match.
Real failed to equalize in the 38th minute, when he did not shoot Sommer Asensio out of a small lime. Real’s wing was at an angle, but it was still an ideal opportunity to send a balloon to a more distant rod. The guests increased the pressure in the final minutes of the first half, but did not see a goal.
Real increased the speed after half-time and the result was a blow to Asensia, which with the help of flowing Gintera stamped the crossbar. The foals were ready for the onslaught of Madrid, waited for the opportunity again and struck for the second time in the 58th minute in the match. Lainer put the ball on a plate for him and instead of hitting it with his right foot it cannoned of his left shin wide of the goal. At first glance, it seemed like a clear offside, but this was not the case, at the back of the corner flag, the defender Menda was criminally forgotten and Thuram was not in any offside. Mönchengladbach led over Real Madrid 2: 0 and the fans of the Spanish giant were definitely not laughing.
Not even to Zidan, especially when he shot Lars Stindl right next to him. The guests have already demonstrated one chase, although they could not cope with Donetsk at home, but they were convinced that it was not impossible to remove the two-goal deficit. Real could have returned to the game after a pass from Benzema, but the healed Hazard failed to score. Luka Modrić or later Rodrygo were already on the lawn, both of them had to increase the expected pressure.
Real did not slow down in his efforts, and four minutes before the end, a drama was actually set in motion. Valverde’s center put Casemiro’s head back into the dangerous area, and Karim Benzema made the home fans very nervous at TV screens. Judge Grinfeld set four more minutes, extremely long minutes for the Foals, and they became fatal. Modrić centered on the back post, where Ramos slid in front of Casemir’s goal and the alignment was over. The German team was close to a sensational win, but in the end they have to settle for “only” a point.
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