Real Madrid footballers did not admit any drama in retaliation for the Champions League round of 16. They narrowly defended the tight lead from Bergamo when they won 3: 1. After hitting Benzema and Ramos, Muriel reduced, but in a flash, Asensio adjusted back to a two-goal difference.
Zinedine Zidane made several changes compared to the first race. Courtois remained in the gate and Varane on the stop, assisted by Mendy on his left. Stoper’s partner to the French national team this time was Ramos, as a result of which Nacho moved to the right. He pulled Lucas out of the position of bek, who operated on the wing in retaliation at the expense of Asensius. Vinícius remained on the other, with Benzema introducing himself instead of Isco on the tip. Mention has not yet been made of the advance in which Kroos and Modrić remained, in which Valverde worked instead of Casemir this time.
Gasperini was much more conservative in this regard. Among the three poles remained Sportiello, the stopper trio remained composed of Toloi, Romero and Djimsiti. As in the past, Maehle and Gosens took up wingback positions. In the middle of the field, nothing has changed in the form of de Roon and Pessina, but they have lost their previously excluded partner Freuler. Instead of him and Zapata, Malinovsky introduced himself with Pasalic, whose task was to support the mourner Muriel.
In the third minute, Atalanta got to the first opportunity. Muriel centered on the left, and Courtois had to pull himself against Gosens. In the twenty-seventh minute, the Madrid team also became more threatened. Vinicius encountered a Benzem counterattack, but his attempt was able to block Djimsiti.
In the end, the opponent literally donated the opening goal to the “white ballet” on a silver platter. Sportiello showed a really sad pass, which was caught by Modrić. He then had to make a substitution after 35 minutes with Karim Benzem, who scored with the keeper.
Shortly after the break, Vinícius showed his immense technical skills, slipping between three opponents and facing the goalkeeper. But then he failed and ended in a technical experiment only inaccurately. However, he soon made up for it when he let Tolói be fouled during another individual action, which the referee rewarded with a penalty kick.
His execution was undertaken by the very experienced captain Ramos, who changed even though Sportiello caught the direction. Soon he could have netted Zapata’s contact goal at the opposite end of the field, but he failed to finish and shot only Courtois. The game spilled over from side to side, as evidenced by Benzem’s upcoming chances. The first header was pulled out by the goalkeeper, the second ended in a goal structure.
The sad hero on Atalanta’s side was Zapata, who failed to succeed in a duel with Courtois on the second attempt. What he failed to do was ten minutes before the end by his partner from the attack, Luis Muriel. He set the ball for a free kick from about twenty-five meters, from where he rippled the net over the wall, even though Courtois reached for the shot.
The Italian team’s hopes for a turnaround did not last long. Just a few tens of seconds later, Vázquez led a quick counterattack, at the end of which he passed the ball to the left side of Marc Asensio. The Spanish national team moved it further and overcame the goalkeeper with a ground attempt on a closer pole.
In the end, Real’s victory could seal Rodrygo, but this time Sportiello could not score the opponent. The Madrid team still bravely holds the Spanish football battalion. If the city’s rival Atlétic fails to turn around the unfavorable development in Wednesday’s retaliation on Stamford Bridge, they will also be the only representative of their country in the quarterfinals.
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