El Real Madrid money in water vencer en Braga

El Real Madrid money in water vencer en Braga

The whites extend their full advantage in the Champions League with goals from Rodrygo and Bellingham in a duel in which they suffered more than expected

   MADRID, 24 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Real Madrid beat Sporting Braga (1-2) this Tuesday on the third day of the group stage of the 2023-2024 Champions League, thanks to the goals of the Brazilian Rodrygo Goes and the Englishman Jude Bellingham, to extend, no without suffering, the full in the continental competition and practically sealed their ticket to the round of 16.

In a not very attractive match for the 14-time European champion, the merengue team consolidates its leadership of Group C with its third victory in three games. However, and despite going 0-2 with goals from Rodrygo, who is making his debut in the Champions League, and Bellingham, the whites suffered with the final reaction of the Portuguese thanks to the goal from Spaniard Álvaro Djaló.

Carlo Ancelotti's men thus take, although sweating too much victory, the European antidote before facing FC Barcelona this Saturday in the League. However, the match, with rotations for that 'Classic', does not leave very good feelings, especially due to the possible injury of a key Bellingham.

The home team started bravely and took possession, although without the necessary precision to test Kepa. In front, Carlo Ancelotti's men were solid in defense, sheltered in a 4-4-2 that worked, with a lot of effort from Bellingham and Valverde on the sides, against the speedsters of the Portuguese team, who made the Municipal de Braga very wide.

Vinícius was the most incisive on the left with continuous unmarking from outside to inside. And in one of Nacho's many long deliveries, the Brazilian beat Saatci in the race, making an explosive start, to provide a low ball to the small area that Rodrygo sent to the net with some luck to give light to a somewhat diffuse start.

The early goal opened the game a little more, which experienced a first dangerous approach from Braga with a shot by Al Musrati after several errors in a corner, threatening a Real Madrid that was somewhat weaker in defense, and that relied on its offensive production to more than an attempt from afar by 'Vini' and Rodrygo. The '11' from Rio, already after half an hour, scored the second by finishing off at will a 'death pass' from Vinícius, but the '7' clearly started offside and did not get on the scoreboard.

The Portuguese team kept their defense forward, without thinking too much about how to harm Ancelotti's men, approaching Kepa, without luck, in rather short combinations. This allowed Real Madrid to grow on the counterattack, thanks to the greater depth of Valverde and Vinícius. However, the Madrid team arrived at half-time without clarity of ideas and with haste in creation, although with the score favorable.

Already in the second half, Real Madrid increased the pressure with the mission of regaining possession and control. And it was a hitherto missing Bellingham who gave the first scare to the locals and almost made it 0-2 with a violent early shot that Matheus stopped with reflexes. This great occasion was followed by two more, first from Camavinga from the front, and then from Carvajal, in his most offensive role, heading in a corner.

But they were only warnings before the English 'all-rounder' sent the ball into the net gently and carefully, after a pass from Vinícius, and gave peace of mind to the whites, with a 0-1 that seemed short. However, that tranquility turned into an excess of relaxation on the part of the Real Madrid defense, which only minutes later, already past the hour mark, allowed Djaló to enter the area from the left side, who finished powerfully up top to beat to Kepa.

The Portuguese team thus got hooked on the match, which opened up even more, something that Artur Jorge knew how to interpret and brought on Bruma and Abel Ruiz. And the changes worked. The Portuguese took control and had a great opportunity to tie, in the boots of Ricardo Horta, but his shot, already inside the area, was repelled by Kepa in an unorthodox way.

Ancelotti saw that his team was breaking down, while the match entered a dangerous state of nerves, so he brought on Tchouameni and Mendy, to the detriment of a gray Rodrygo and Fran García. However, the muscle of the new players and the entity of players like Modric did not serve to give that pause in the face of the high and incessant intensity of the Portuguese.

The tranquility desired by the Madrid fans could have arrived in Vinícius' umpteenth gallop, which was a nightmare for Saatci, but the Brazilian was offside by millimeters and the goal was invalid. Already in the final stretch, in the midst of the attacks of the locals, who even claimed a penalty for handball, the bad news for Real Madrid, who left Portugal with the three points, were the apparent physical problems of a Bellingham injured player. .

--RESULT: SPORTING BRAGA, 1 - REAL MADRID, 2 (0-1, at halftime).

SPORTING BRAGA: Matheus; Mendes (Fonseca, min.73), Niakaté, Saatci, Borja; Al Musrati (Moutinho, min.78), Carvalho (Bruma, min.66); Ricardo Horta, Zalazar, Djaló; and Banza (Abel Ruiz, min.66).

REAL MADRID: Kepa; Carvajal, Rüdiger, Nacho, Fran García (Mendy, min.75); Camavinga, Valverde, Modric, Bellingham (Lucas Vázquez, min.89); Rodrygo (Tchouameni, min.71) and Vinícius.

0-1, min.16: Rodrygo.

   0-2, min.61: Bellingham.

1-2, min. 63: Djaló.

--REFEREE: Michael Oliver (ENG). He cautioned Camavinga (min.72) and Nacho (min.93) for Real Madrid.

--STADIUM: Braga Municipal.