Reigning Champions League winners Real Madrid roared back into form with a commanding 5-1 victory over RB Salzburg at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday. Goals from Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes, each scoring twice, alongside Kylian Mbappe’s strike, ensured Los Blancos stayed in contention for a last-16 berth.
Lineups
Starting for Real Madrid were Thibaut Courtois, Dani Carvajal, Antonio Rudiger, David Alaba, Ferland Mendy, Luka Modric, Jude Bellingham, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Rodrygo Goes, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior.
The lineup for RB Salzburg included Janis Blaswich, Oumar Solet, Maximilian Wöber, Andreas Ulmer, Rasmus Kristensen, Nicolas Seiwald, Mohamed Camara, Brenden Aaronson, Benjamin Sesko, Karim Adeyemi, and Noah Okafor.
How the Match Unfolded
Brazilian forward Rodrygo, in dazzling form with ten goals in his last ten appearances, broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute, finishing a Jude Bellingham assist. He added a second soon after with a superb curling strike set up by a stylish backheel from the Englishman.
Mbappe extended Madrid’s lead early in the second half, stealing the ball from Salzburg’s goalkeeper Janis Blaswich before tapping home. Veteran Luka Modric then set up Vinicius for a thunderous finish, marking the Brazilian’s 100th goal for Real Madrid.
Vinicius completed his brace after a swift breakaway led by Fede Valverde, while Salzburg’s Mads Bidstrup managed a late consolation volley.
Post-Match Analysis
Despite conceding again—continuing their streak of failing to keep a clean sheet in the competition—Madrid’s emphatic win provided much-needed confidence.
This victory pushed Real Madrid to 16th in the standings, just one point behind Bayer Leverkusen in eighth, with one group match left to play.
What the Coaches Said
Carlo Ancelotti praised his team but said his team needs to tighten up defensively. “Scoring goals will never be a problem with these players,” he said. “But we need to improve at the back. Defence is key to success, and that’s our focus moving forward.” Ancelotti reassured fans that Bellingham’s substitution due to back discomfort was “nothing serious.”
Player of the Match
Vinicius Junior was named the Player of the Match for his outstanding performance in the game. Vinicius scored two goals in the match, marking his 100th goal for Real Madrid. He blended well with Rodrygo and Mbappe to get Madrid the whooping 5-1 win.
What Next
With this result, Madrid now faces the task of getting a top-eight finish to avoid February’s play-off round. They will need to maintain their winning momentum and tighten their defence as they prepare for the next phase of the competition.
Champion League Table
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