JUDE BELLINGHAM has ignored his ban from La Liga for Real Madrid to qualify for the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
The English superstar set up a very good assist for Vinicius Junior just after the hour mark.
Through 122 years of @realmadrid greatness, I am very proud to be at this club #HalaMadrid pic. twitter. com/mPEhizUA9a ?
And Leipzig responded without delay through captain Willi Orban, which proved enough to qualify on aggregate after Real won the first leg 1-0 in Germany.
Bellingham will now miss Madrid’s next two league games, Celta Vigo and Osasuna, due to a two-match suspension for his X reaction at Valencia on Saturday.
According to the official referee’s report, the 20-year-old aggressively shouted “it’s a damn goal” on several occasions after his last-gasp winner scored in the 2-2 draw.
Bellingham was also fined £513, but Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti showed before the Leipzig game that the club would appeal his “unfair” ban.
It’s fair to say that Wednesday wasn’t a wonderful day for Ancelotti, who was embroiled in a tax fraud scandal that could theoretically land him in jail.
At least his team managed to cross the byline in the second leg of the round of 16, although they spoiled everything in a toothless first half.
Bellingham was left isolated, while Ancelotti unnecessarily opted for an additional midfielder and only Vinicius Jr. as a full-fledged striker.
Leipzig deserve to have capitalized, but they may not take advantage of any of their many opportunities, as striker Lois Openda lacks a hat.
The unimpressed Real Madrid fans blew their whistles furiously at half-time, in which Ancelotti made his mistake and Rodrygo for Edouard Camavinga.
Openda saw an open goal shortly after the break, albeit from a tight angle, after Real striker Andriy Lunin gave him everything while running, but the Belgian was unable to convert.
Regardless, the hosts controlled a shot on goal in the 63rd minute, when substitute Rodyrgo raced to the near post, but former Hereford goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi denied the shot.
And two minutes later, almost inevitably, it was their first match.
Toni Kroos took possession and gave it to Bellingham, who ran down the pitch and made a glorious pass to Vinicius for a shot on goal.
On the face of it, that’s the way it is. But Leizpig equalised immediately when Orban headed in David Raum’s cross 3 minutes later.
The visitors also had more chances thanks to Openda and Orban was unable to take advantage of them. Dani Olmo hit the crossbar in stoppage time.
Real were nervous, but they came out on top: Bellingham and Co. will know they were very lucky not to crash.
The Real Kroos midfielder said: “The result is one thing and what we play is another.
At half-time we were satisfied with the result and also with the way we played.
“The timing was a little bit better, but still not smart enough to say that obviously we deserve to be in the next round. We didn’t do very well, but in the end we’re in the quarter-finals. “
Former Real Madrid defender Toni Rudiger also opened up: “We suffered a lot. They played well and we played badly. Simple.
“We were sloppy, slow, we lacked intensity. We don’t participate in demanding situations and in the Champions League you can be punished for that.
“We didn’t celebrate this match because it wasn’t an intelligent performance, but in the end we are classified.
And coach Ancelotti admitted: “It was a poorly played game, with little intensity and little attention.
“The intellectual made a difference, he influenced us a lot. “
Asked about the tax evasion charges, he added: “We’re talking about anything that happened in 2015 because they think I live here.
“I’ve already paid the fine. I am convinced that I am innocent. We’ll see what the sentence decides. “
Meanwhile, Leipzig had to regret what could have been, as Orban said: “We had so many wonderful chances that we have to make the most of. “
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