Real Madrid is experiencing a bitter birthday to advance to the quarterfinals

Real Madrid is having a bitter birthday

Ancelotti's men suffered until the end to get a place in the quarterfinals against a Leipzig team that was better and had more chances

   MADRID, 6 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Real Madrid drew (1-1) this Wednesday against Leipzig in the second leg of the round of 16 of the 2023-2024 Champions League, in an unattractive match for the locals, who certified their place in the quarterfinals after taking refuge in a goal of Vinícius, suffering until the end, and surviving the dangerous German approaches, which they equalized with a goal from Orbán.

On the day of the club's 122nd birthday, Carlo Ancelotti's pupils completed a poor and very gray match in which all the players were below their level. The lack of attitude and drive even despaired at the Bernabéu, which had to be content, already in the second half, with a great goal from Vinícius on the counterattack assisted by Bellingham.

The Germans, who finished very tired, responded quickly and tied quickly and believed until the end - they were able to equalize the tie with a ball against the crossbar in stoppage time -, even bottling the 14-time European champion, enjoying chances from all sides. colors, although not without enough fang to assault the Madrid fiefdom. The tie cuts off Real Madrid's record of continental triumphs, which goes to the quarterfinals undefeated (W7 and D1).

With the first leg 0-1 in the lead, Real Madrid started the match in a somewhat contemplative indoor Bernabéu without the ball, with an unprecedented system when it came to pressing. With one more midfielder than usual and with Bellingham as a reference in the center of the attack, the Whites suffered several attacks from the Germans on Openda's boots, although his two clear shots went somewhat wide.

In addition, Sesko sent Lunin's body in a one-on-one that was worthless due to offside. Before, a more offensively timid Madrid team settled for a sterile shot over the crossbar from Vinícius to Tchouameni's lateral center. And the whites did not feel comfortable in a gray and unambitious start.

The Germans took advantage of a Merengue midfield that was somewhat lost and very far from the duels, a situation that allowed them to bottleneck Ancelotti's team on several occasions. Bellingham caught a good deep delivery from Valverde on the right, but was met by a successful Orban with his shot.

Nearing half-time, the German team enjoyed the best chance again with Openda's shot coming from a corner, with a too powerful shot that went over. The Bernabéu, dissatisfied, did not forgive the lack of dedication and attitude of its team in the first 45 minutes and accompanied the march to the locker room with a loud whistle.

The change of Rodrygo Goes for Camavinga at half-time showed that Ancelotti was not happy with the first-half performance. But it did not achieve the desired effect, and Leipzig was the first to cause fear, with Lunin arriving late to a long delivery from Raum, leaving Openda alone in front of the goal, but somewhat heeled, which gave the Ukrainian time to regain possession with the hands.

The match continued along the same lines and was stopped for a few minutes due to a push by Vinícius to Orban without the ball for which he received the yellow card, although bordering on aggression. Real Madrid continued to play with fire, very contemplative and allowing the Germans to cross lines almost unopposed.

Madrid's lethargy disappeared only with a quick run from the left by Vinícius from the center of the field, reaching the baseline, leaving a ball behind that Bellingham finally crashed into Rodrygo, while the Bernabéu waited for a reaction from its team, given the size of the game. And this came in the boots of Rodrygo, with the first shot on goal for the whites, after the hour mark, although Gulácsi deflected well.

Immediately afterwards came the counterattack that Real Madrid needed. Jude Bellingham picked up the ball recovered by Toni Kroos and brilliantly timed his run to provide a fantastic assist to Vinícius, who immediately made it 1-0 and de-stressed the stadium.

The score of 2-0 in the tie did not intimidate Leipzig, who continued trying, and found their reward just three minutes later, with an accurate shot, beating Nacho in the jump, from captain Orban to Raum's delivery. The tie restored the buzz and uncertainty, although the match became more open and electric.

This also benefited Marco Rose's men, who forgave the unforgivable, eager for the disconnections and lack of concentration of the Madrid team. Constant losses characterized the version of the final stretch of a Real Madrid locked behind, except for flashes from Vinícius and Bellingham. In addition, they suffered a lot from set pieces, in almost a football siege by Leipzig.

Rodrygo had the decision in the final stretch, but he did everything well except his shot already in the area. And the fact is that the Madridistas ended up asking for the time, very locked in and seeing how Dani Olmo sent a flying ball to the crossbar on the last occasion for the Germans, who bordered on the feat.

--RESULT: REAL MADRID, 1 - RB LEIPZIG, 1 (0-0, at halftime).

REAL MADRID: Lunin; Carvajal, Rüdiger, Nacho, Mendy; Tchouameni, Kroos (Modric, min.77), Camavinga (Rodrygo, min.46), Valverde, Bellingham (Joselu, min.84); Vinicius.

RB LEIPZIG: Gulacsi; Henrichs, Lukeba, Orban, Raum; Olmo, Haidara (Kampl, min.90), Schlager (Elmas, min.85), Xavi Simons; Sesko (Baumgartner, 85 minutes) and Openda (Poulsen, 77 minutes).

1-0, min.65: Vinícius Júnior.

1-1, min. 68: Orbán.

--REFEREE: Davide Massa (ITA). He cautioned Vinícius (min.54), Tchouameni (min.73) and Kroos (min.75) for Real Madrid and Schlager (min.20), Raum (min.50) and Orbán (min.71) for part of RB Leipzig.

--Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. 83,186 spectators.