Leipzig 0-1 Real Madrid: Brahim Díaz stunner gives visitors narrow lead
Tuesday, February 13, 2024
Article summary
Brahim Díaz's exquisite second-half strike put Real Madrid in the driving seat in this UEFA Champions League round of 16 tie.
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Article body
Brahim Díaz scored a stunning goal three minutes into the second half as Real Madrid earned a hard-fought 1-0 win away to Leipzig in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg.
Key moments
3': Šeško effort disallowed after consulting VAR.
48': Brahim Díaz finds net with stunning strike.
51': Well-placed Olmo fires straight at Lunin.
72': Vinícius Júnior prods low shot against post.
80': Lunin denies Šeško on the counterattack.
Match in brief: Brahim Díaz the difference
An end-to-end encounter was ultimately decided by a moment of individual brilliance three minutes into the second half in Germany. Brahim Díaz, selected in place of the injured Jude Bellingham, brilliantly span Xavi Simons on the right flank, switched the ball on to his left foot and surged to the edge of the box before firing into the far corner.
It was a clinical finish on an evening when both sides racked up misses. Dani Olmo and Benjamin Šeško, who had an early effort chalked off by VAR, both passed up presentable opportunities as Leipzig's pace and intensity impressed. At the other end Madrid had chances to create breathing space, Vinícius Júnior coming closest with a prod that came back off the upright.
All to play for in Madrid in three weeks.
PlayStation® Player of the Match: Brahim Díaz (Real Madrid)
Judith Tuffentsammer, Leipzig reporter
Leipzig played very well but went unrewarded for their efforts, leaving their opponents few spaces to create chances while showing plenty of endeavour up front. With a little more precision and luck in those early exchanges, who knows what might have been? Although it's only a one-goal deficit, they have a mountain to climb on 6 March in Spain if they are to reach their first quarter-final since 2019/20.
Graham Hunter, Real Madrid reporter
One of the things that make Real Madrid very special – and so hard to beat – is their current appetite for blue-collar hard work and sweating through the jersey to stay competitive. To come under this amount of pressure, with so many significant players absent, and give themselves a terrific platform to eliminate Leipzig at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu is an impressive achievement.
Reaction
Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid coach: "That was a hard-fought win. It was a competitive battle but I knew my team were in the game – we defended really well despite missing important players. I liked how dangerous we were on the counterattack, though I admit Leipzig might easily have drawn it."
Marco Rose, Leipzig coach: "My team were courageous. We implemented a lot of things we set out to do, such as doubling up on Vinícius. After the break we conceded a dream goal after we left him a little too much space. You have to accept a goal like that. We had good chances ourselves and could have been more clinical."
Brahim Díaz, Real Madrid forward: "We had opportunities to kill the tie off but, admittedly, so did Leipzig. It must have been a beautiful game to watch but it did us no favours being so end-to-end."
Steve McManaman, TNT Sports
"What a goal! Brahim Díaz jinks away, drops his shoulder, goes onto his left foot. As soon as he opens the goal up, there's danger. He bends his shot, feeds it into the corner. Gulácsi has no chance."
Key stats
- Brahim Díaz has scored four goals in 24 Champions League appearances.
- Vinícius Júnior made his 50th Champions League appearance, the fifth youngest player to reach the landmark at 23 years 216 days, supplanting Raúl González.
- Real Madrid have won seven out of seven in the Champions League this season, equalling their best start to a European Cup campaign set in 2014/15 before they lost to Schalke.
- Leipzig failed to score for the first time in their last 20 European home matches.
- Real Madrid have lost only one of their last 17 UEFA competition matches against German teams (W12 D4).
- Real Madrid are in the round of 16 for the 21st time, and have featured at this stage of the competition every season since the current format was introduced in 2003/04.
Fantasy star performers
Brahim Díaz: 12 points
Andriy Lunin: 9 points
Ferland Mendy: 8 points
Line-ups
Leipzig: Gulácsi; Simakan, Klostermann, Orbán, Raum; Olmo (Elmas 75), Henrichs (Haidara 75), Schlager (Kampl 90), Simons; Openda (Poulsen 75), Šeško
Real Madrid: Lunin; Carvajal, Nacho, Tchouameni, Mendy; Valverde, Kroos, Camavinga, Brahim Díaz (Lucas Vázquez 84); Rodrygo (Joselu 84), Vinícius Júnior
What's next?
The second leg takes place in Madrid on Wednesday 6 March.
The aggregate winners enter the quarter-final draw on 15 March.