Champions League recap: Real Madrid recover from shaky start

Zinédine Zidane's Real Madrid overcame a shock opening defeat by Shakhtar and a draw that could have been a defeat at Mönchengladbach to turn their fortunes around and reach the last 16 as Group B winners.

Campaign so far

Group B winners: W3 D1 L2 F11 A9
Top scorer: Karim Benzema (4)

21/10: Real Madrid 2-3 Shakhtar (Modrić 54, Vinícius Júnior 59; Tetê 29, Varane 33og, Solomon 42)
27/10: Mönchengladbach 2-2 Real Madrid (Thuram 33 58; Benzema 87, Casemiro 90+3)
03/11: Real Madrid 3-2 Inter Milan (Benzema 25, Ramos 33, Rodrygo 80; Martínez 35, Perišić 68)
25/11: Inter Milan 0-2 Real Madrid (Hazard 7pen, Hakimi 59og)
01/12: Shakhtar 2-0 Real Madrid (Dentinho 57, Solomon 82)
09/12: Real Madrid 2-0 Mönchengladbach (Benzema 9, 32)

Their campaign in ten words: Set aside a shaky start before proving their European pedigree.

UEFA.com reporter's view

It wasn't what you might call a vintage group stage campaign from the 13-time winners, getting off to a slow start with one point from their first two games. However they knuckled down, squeezed out the results they needed and finished first in the group to top it all off. As ever, they're a team to avoid in the knockouts.
Joseph Walker, Real Madrid reporter

What we've learned

No matter what kindle of a pickle Madrid find themselves in, the UEFA Champions League brings out the best in them. A poor start to the group stage looked to have set up a shock early exit, but as the saying in Spain goes: "El Madrid es el Madrid."

They got the job done, and roared back to top the group. Sergio Ramos's presence and importance to the side cannot be understated, if it were ever in any sort of doubt, given the difference in performance levels with and without their captain.

Squad changes

In: Iván Morante, Pablo Ramón
Out: Luka Jović, Martin Ødegaard

Key stats

• Madrid have qualified for the knockout rounds in all of their 25 seasons in the UEFA Champions League.

• Sergio Ramos scored his 100th goal for the club in their 3-2 victory against Inter in November.

• At Mönchengladbach on Matchday 2, Madrid came from two goals down to win or draw a UEFA Champions League match for the eighth time – twice as many as any other side (Manchester United, Lyon, Arsenal, CSKA Moskva and Juventus have each done so on four occasions).

Who’s in charge?

One of the most vaunted players of his generation, Zidane's reputation as a coach was equally high after coaching Madrid to three successive UEFA Champions League crowns. He quit in 2018, but returned for a second spell the following year.