Sid Lowe’s report is in which is my cue to exit. Thank you to those who wrote in – we didn’t get a proper thriller, but it was still a nervy finish. Here’s to some more drama (pretty please) as the tournament progresses.
Bernardo Martinez sums it up pretty well. “Sometimes Real Madrid plays good football, sometimes not so good but it always goes to the next round.” A fourth consecutive Champions League quarter-final awaits them; can they make it a fourth consecutive semi-final?
“Two yellows for Vini?” wrote Norrie Hernon earlier on. “Barge in the back and grab of the neck were very much two separate offences. Or does only Martinelli get punished for these?” Yep, Vinícius did seem to lose his cool at the start of the second half – but stayed on the field to slot past Gulacsi.
Leipzig created plenty of chances but they just couldn’t force the ball in. They didn’t even force Lunin into that much action, with a number of efforts straight at the Madrid keeper. The Bellingham-Vinícius combination was what secured the tie, even though Orban equalised just minutes later.
FULL-TIME: Real Madrid 1-1 RB Leipzig (2-1 on aggregate)
Leipzig were relentless … but it’s Madrid who are through to the quarter-finals. Standard Real – they just get the job done in this comp.
Updated
90+3 min: Another corner for Leipzig … Xavi takes … but Real Madrid win a free-kick for a handball.
90+2 min: The corner is headed away convincingly … but the ball works its way back into the Madrid box and Olmo hits the crossbar! He chested the ball and tried a cute lofted finish, missing by inches.
90+1 min: Four minutes are added on as Leipzig drive forward. Henrichs wins a corner after his cross is blocked.
90 min: Haidara is replaced by Kevin Kampl.
89 min: Rodrygo conjures a little bit of magic, dribbling into the box before trying to curl a shot in – straight at Gulacsi though.
87 min: Vini Jr. skips down the left, getting in the stepovers, but is shown the corner flag by Leipzig.
86 min: Rüdiger is taken down by Baumgartner, the sub keen on making an early impression.
84 min: A reminder that Madrid lead 2-1 on aggregate. Joselu replaces Bellingham; Schlager goes off for Elmas, and Baumgartner is in for Sesko.
82 min: Corner for Leipzig as Raum causes problems down the left. Orban gets his head on Raum’s ball … but heads down and wide.
80 min: Henrichs cuts in from the right to fire a shot from outside the box with his left foot … but it’s straight at Lunin. Hit the corners, lads, the corners.
79 min: Leipzig work the ball around, waiting for an opening as Madrid set up camp. Olmo nearly carves some space for a shot on the edge of the box.
78 min: Openda is off for Yussuf Poulsen. Leipzig’s top-scorer this season has had a tough night. Kroos is replaced by Modric.
“I realize that Madrid are the pantomime villains of European football, but I enjoy them,” writes Kári Tulinius. “They eschew the control that most top teams seek today. Instead they always back themselves to outscore their opponents. Their march towards titles is predictable, sure, but it’s fun, and I’ll take fun.”
75 min: Now a yellow for Kroos, who brings down Xavi. The cards are piling up.
74 min: Raum crosses the free-kick to Orban at the far post, who heads the ball across the goal for Openda to head at goal… but Carvajal gets in the way. Sesko has a shot moments later, but straight at Lunin.
73 min: The excellent Xavi skips forward and is brought down by Tchouameni, who gets a yellow for it. Getting feisty out there now.
72 min: Orban gets a yellow for fouling Bellingham. Harsh – I reckon the foul was on the Leipzig captain, with the Madrid midfielder stepping on his calf.
71 min: Valverde fires over from outside the box.
70 min: Vini Jr. wins a corner and gees up the crowd while he’s at it.
GOAL! Real Madrid 1-1 RB Leipzig (Orban 68)
Wahooo, we’ve got a game on! Raum crosses in from the left and it’s the skipper, Orban, who heads/shoulders the ball past the previously unbeatable Lunin.
Updated
67 min: Rüdiger celebrates after pulling off two crucial blocks in the six-yard box. Madrid have been mediocre but lead 2-0 on aggregate.
GOAL! Real Madrid 1-0 RB Leipzig (Vinícius 65)
Inevitable. Madrid counter and Bellingham has space to drive forward. Vini Jr. makes a brilliant run into the centre from the left and is played in with a deft pass … the finish is thumping and past Gulacsi into the net.
Updated
64 min: The corner doesn’t cause any damage to Leipzig.
63 min: Rodrygo is fed by Carvajal and shoots from the right side of the box, with Gulacsi getting low to tip it round for a corner.
60 min: Vini Jr. skips down the left for the first time tonight and slides a ball inside the box … the ball is laid off by Valverde to Bellingham whose shot is blocked before Kroos’ subsequent effort is saved by Gulacsi. Seems like there was a foul on a Leipzig player just before that Kroos shot.
Updated
59 min: Xavi and Raum stand over the ball. The former floats the ball in for Openda to head over at the far post. The forward just can’t find the target tonight.
58 min: Olmo wins a free-kick from shooting range after Toni Kroos slides in on him.
56 min: Sesko finds Henrichs in space on the right-hand side of the box, and a cross is fired in quick but Tchouaméni clears.
54 min: A yellow for Vini Jr, who shoves Orban to the ground. The Madrid winger has looked frustrated this half, having pushed Henrichs down a few minutes earlier.
Updated
51 min: Kroos’ ball into the box is headed out, and Rodrygo’s shot is blocked too.
50 min: Raum brings Rodrygo down on Real’s right-hand side. The left-back gets a yellow, Madrid a free-kick.
49 min: Olmo has a free-kick from a shooting position but finds the wall.
47 min: Lunin races out of the six-yard box to the edge, but Openda beats him to the ball. The forward then tries to bring the ball into the centre of the box to get his shot off, but can’t get it away, with Lunin getting down to intercept. Another chance goes begging for Leipzig after Lunin’s misjudgement.
Updated
46 min: Xavi brushes away Carvajal to give away a foul.
Peep!
Back we go, with Madrid going through as things stand.
Real are changing things up. Rodrygo replaces Camavinga. Carlo wants to live a little.
Yeah, I guess we all know what’s going to happen in the end.
Playing well against Real Madrid in a last 16 Champions League tie always feels like one of the most doomed and pointless of all human endeavours
— Barney Ronay (@barneyronay) March 6, 2024
HALF-TIME! Real Madrid 0-0 RB Leipzig
The whistle goes and it is the visitors who have created all the chances – but failed to convert. Madrid better up their game in the second half or else things are about to get nervy for this tournament’s greatest-ever side.
45+1 min: Kroos whips the ball into the box but Henrichs heads away.
45 min: Carvajal cuts inside from the right and is brought down by Olmo to win a free-kick.
44 min: Tchouaméni crosses from the right and Bellingham gets a head on it, but he’s too far from goal to pose a threat.
Updated
42 min: The corner finds Openda past the far post and on the edge of the box and he fires his shot wide once again when he should’ve tested the keeper. Leipzig should probably be ahead here.
41 min: Leipzig work it around patiently before Xavi gets to have a go inside the box, trying to curl it into the right top corner … but Lunin palms it away. A corner is the end-result.
40 min: Xavi’s corner is cleared away but Leipzig regain the ball and pass it about.
39 min: Xavi launches a shot which is blocked by Tchouaméni for a corner.
38 min: Valverde is in acres of space out on the right for Madrid, his hands in the air, but his teammates are playing neat little triangles out on the left without going anywhere.
36 min: Bellingham goes down on the left, with Henrichs – who has been lively going forward for Leipzig – bringing the Real No. 5 down.
Updated
34 min: Raum finds Openda on the left who fires in a teasing ball across goal … but there’s no-one on the end of it.
33 min: Leipzig look more dangerous at the moment, with Madrid offering little threat going forward. Valverde launches a lovely diagonal ball to Mendy on the edge of the box, but nothing of note follows.
31 min: Tchouaméni brings down Openda by the halfway line.
30 min: Valverde accelerates down the right and launches a low ball which is deflected and swept up by Gulacsi in the Leipzig goal.
29 min: Kroos pulls off a lovely feint in his own box to evade the press. Very classy stuff.
26 min: Henrichs sends in a ball from the right for Leipzig, but it’s lacking any real threat.
24 min: Valverde tracks back with a sliding challenge to stop Raum from getting a hold of the ball. Raum eventually gets to send in a cross, but it’s deflected before looping up and down into the hands of Lunin.
22 min: Leipzig have their most sustained period of possession, but Raum slips as a ball is played into him on the left-hand side.
20 min: Vini Jr. is taken down by Schlager in the centre circle after robbing the ball off Haidara and it’s a yellow for the Leipzig midfielder.
19 min: Madrid work it around but Leipzig’s shape is solid, with no passes cutting incisively through the lines.
16 min: Another fabulous bit of play from Leipzig, with Olmo countering and lacing a pass across the field for Openda to take on … but he fires wide past Lunin’s left once again. Leipzig’s gameplan is obvious, and they’re nailing it at the moment: they just can’t find the finish.
Updated
13 min: Openda finds himself with a clear shot in front of goal from the edge of the box but fires wide. He had to test Lunin from there.
12 min: Orban launches a thunderous challenge on Camavinga, who was trying to drive forward. Tchouaméni sends a cross into the box for Vini Jr. to get a head on … but he doesn’t get the desired contact and the ball flies high and wide.
Updated
10 min: Sesko is played through on goal by Olmo and is one-on-one with Lunin … but the keeper saves. It’s offside and I reckon Sesko knew that as he was hesitant as soon as he got a hold of the ball.
9 min: Valverde tries to slide a ball through for Bellingham to run onto inside the box, but it’s got a little too much on it.
8 min: All rather sedate so far as Leipzig hold their shape and wait for opportunities to counter. Kroos is whipping the ball around from the middle.
7 min: Olmo goes down in the Madrid box but there’s no real shout for a pen there.
6 min: Nothing comes of it for Leipzig before Madrid counter themselves, unsuccessfully.
5 min: Bellingham drops deep to get a hold of the ball before Kroos goes cross-field to Carvajal before Camavinga loses it in the centre circle. Leipzig counter and Raum’s cross from the left is blocked out for a corner.
3 min: Madrid play keep-ball at the back before Lunin punts it forward to a blue shirt.
1 min: Leipzig attack down the right-hand side, with a low cross cleared inside the Real Madrid box.
Peep!
Real Madrid are rocking the classic whites, Leipzig are all blue. The visitors kick off. Let’s play!
Updated
The players are in the tunnel. Get yourself sorted as we’re about to get going.
I won’t forgive you for leaving me, but if you need to, Simon Burnton’s keeping tabs on Manchester City’s clash with Copenhagen.
Who’s going to get the goals for Leipzig? Loïs Openda is the man to look out for, having scored 17 goals in the league and four in Europe this season. And all of this in the 24-year-old’s first year at the club.
“I can’t believe how phlegmatic everyone is being about Xavi Simons,” writes Jamie O’Sullivan. “Not to go all ‘Arry on you but that boy is going right to the very top, and there will be no comparison between what Xavi Simons does in football and what Scotty Canham does in football.”
Thank you, Jamie, for giving me an excuse to post my favourite video on the internet.
So here are the changes from the first leg: Antonio Rüdiger is back for Madrid after Aurélien Tchouaméni filled in at centre-half. Rodrygo drops out, as does Brahim Díaz, with Jude Bellingham returning.
Amadou Haidara and Castello Jr. are in for Leipzig, replacing Mohamed Simakan and Lukas Klostermann.
Hello to Peter Oh, who writes in:
“While I’m not a fan of the Red Bull footy club business model, there are several RB Leipzig players I like who will hopefully be able to spring a surprise today and keep the Real Madrid Champions League machine from churning forward. The Dutchman Xavi Simons is fun to watch, with his craftiness and creativity. The Austrian Xaver Schlager is a feisty defensive midfielder who can put in a crunching tackle and follow it up a with a deft pass.
“I guess what I’m saying is that Real Madrid may have pedigree and superstars like Vini and Bellingham, but Leipzig have got the X-factor.”
Xavi’s an interesting one. Learned his stuff at the Barcelona academy, now into his second spell at PSG but was sent out on loan immediately after rejoining the French club from PSV last summer. Just 20 years old, he’s done plenty of sightseeing in Europe.
The teams
Here they are …
📋✅ Our starting 𝗫𝗜!
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) March 6, 2024
🆚 @RBLeipzig_EN#UCL pic.twitter.com/KNt0wumbQc
Second Leg Starting XI 🫡#RMARBL #UCL pic.twitter.com/rdyOTOkujB
— RB Leipzig English (@RBLeipzig_EN) March 6, 2024
And here’s another plug for the brilliant Jonathan Liew. He watched Harry Kane’s Bayern run through Lazio last night. Could Kane’s first trophy be the biggest one?
ICYMI: Here’s how it played out last month at the RB Arena.
Preamble
Hello, hello, hello and welcome to coverage of RB Leipzig’s trip to the Bernabéu. Real Madrid nicked the first leg, with Brahim Díaz’s staggering solo goal giving them a 1-0 advantage heading into tonight. The 14-time European Cup/Champions League winners got through that game without the injured Jude Bellingham, but he’ll be in for this one, even after things got a little bit rowdy on the weekend.
Madrid are obviously one of the favourites to ride the Jubilee Line to Wembley Park in June – they’ve got the goods, glitz and history. But Leipzig, fifth in the Bundesliga, made a game of it in the opening round, with Madrid keeper Andriy Lunin making nine saves to hold the fort. Leipzig’s manager Marco Rose has admitted his side will need a little bit of luck, but he’s bigged up his boys, too. Here’s to a last-16 thriller, with kick-off at 8pm GMT. (Oh, and here’s Daniel Sturridge setting the scene way better than me.)
