Jude Bellingham central midfield of Real Madrid and England and Xaver Schlager Central Midfield of RB Leipzig and Austria compete for the ball during the UEFA Champions League 2023/24 round of 16 second leg match between Real Madrid CF and RB Leipzig at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on March 6, 2024 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
NurPhoto via Getty Images
Real Madrid resisted and were rewarded for their defense in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 against RB Leipzig, advancing to the quarterfinals with a 1-1 draw that allowed them to win 2-1 in the global. Marco Rose from Germany. .
The first leg in Germany was a fight, as Brahim Diaz’s goal in the 48th minute was enough for Real to take a 1-0 lead despite conceding nine shots on target while leading in attempts 15-14.
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There were similar vibes in the second leg, with RB Leipzig the better side in the first half and the more attacking side for most of the game.
Vinicius Junior scored on a counter-attack led by Jude Bellingham in the 66th minute to make it 2-0 on aggregate, but Willi Orban responded temporarily to send Leipzig into an excellent 22-minute final.
Leipzig finished with 20 shots to Madrid’s 11 and an xG merit of 1. 11-0. 69, but Real won the ownership war and maintained their lead in the first leg at the Bernabeu.
Goals: Vinicius Jr (66′), Orban (68′)
Start: p. m. ET, Wednesday, March 6. How to watch: Paramount+ and TUDN USA
The game is open but for the second-straight half it’s Leipzig ripping off double the hosts’ shots.
Possession lasted more or less until the 90th minute, but Leipzig had 3 more shots on goal in the half.
Marco Rose has put on Yussuf Poulsen, Eljif Elmas, and Christoph Baumgartner over the past 10 minutes for Benjamin Sesko, Loic Openda, and Xavier Schlager.
A quickfire response from the visitors!
It’s Willi Orban pulling Leipzig back within one with more than 20 minutes to play at the Bernabeu.
David Raum on the assist and Leipzig’s back in this.
This is quality football.
Jude Bellingham has the ball at the top of the 18 and slows down his dribble long enough for Vinicius Junior to cut inside.
Bellingham opened his hips and slid in where the striker passed Peter Gulacsi to take a 1-0 lead in the game and a 2-0 lead in the tie.
And will it be more than a yellow card?
Vinicius Júnior knocks down his boy from behind.
It’s Willi Orban, and the Leipzig defender is unhappy. He gets right into Vini’s face, and the Real Madrid’ man’s clumsy two handed shove catches Orban in the throat.
Orban falls to the ground and the VAR looks, but Vini is saved with a yellow card.
Ancelotti takes out Eduardo Camavinga and brings in Rodrygo to threaten a second goal (and make the game more fun, selfishly we add).
Now Dani Olmo presides over a dangerous free kick and curls it … right off the top of a leaping wall member.
Still 0-0 (1-0 overall)
Loïc Opfinisha missed from close range with a strong shot at the end of the half, thus closing out an otherwise mediocre half.
RB Leipzig connecting on one of their first two chances may have made this click into something. However, Carlo Ancelotti is one hundred percent happy to move on to the match tonight.
56% of the ball for Real, who have a percentage of 0. 09 over 0. 35 xG combined and only two of 8 shot attempts in the match.
They lead 1-0 on aggregate and care only that the advantage stays in tact en route to what they hope will be a 15th European Cup.
Real had a little more ball but produced a lot of genuine danger; Those who expect the league leaders to push for a second goal will have to wait a bit, because until now it was more about waiting for Leipzig’s mistakes.
All of Leipzig’s mistakes have come with the final ball, as this ruly could be 1-1 on aggregate. Let’s not be too dramatic, though, as xG is 0.14-0.07 in favor of Leipzig after a half hour.
Benjamin Sesko denied a breakaway through Andriy Lunin, but then the offside flag appeared and Sesko’s attempt betrayed his feelings about the possible flag.
Xavi Simons then gave Loïc Openda a half chance, but the Belgians more or less squandered it.
There is hope for German visitors.
How could RB Leipzig achieve a comeback and a disappointing victory?
Well, Benjamin Sesko took six shots in the first leg with an xGOT of 1. 79 and finished with 3 big misses (according to fotmob).
The flip side was Loic Openda, who has been electric this season but was quiet against Real.
Problem is there’s so much defensive experience on Real. If the ball gets through Toni Kroos and Co., it’s then gotta defy Dani Carvajal, Antonio Rudiger, Nacho Fernandez, and Ferland Mendy.
Oh, and goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, who made nine saves in the first leg.
But there is an option for Marco Rose’s Leipzig.
Jude Bellingham attacked the referee when the weekend tie between Real Madrid and Valencia whistled in the 10th minute of stoppage time, a moment or two before Madrid crossed the ball over the goal line.
He earned a red card and today announced that he will miss Real’s next two matches in La Liga: home against Celta Vigo and away against Osasuna. Real is seven points ahead of Girona and 8 points ahead of Barcelona.
That’s today.
No surprises here, as Benjamin Sesko, Xavi Simons, and Loic Openda all start as do Dani Olmo and Willi Orban.
Jude Bellingham is capable of passing and Real have put together a solid unit.
Toni Kroos leads a midfield with Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga.
Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham will be the attackers.
Look out, Leipzig.
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