Real Madrid beat RB Leipzig 4-1 at the Santiago Bernabéu in the third round of the Champions League league phase, played on the evening of Wednesday 21 October European time (early on Thursday 22 October in Vietnam). Bernardo Silva, Arda Güler, Kylian Mbappé and Yan Diomande scored for José Mourinho's side, with Tidiam Gomis replying for Leipzig. It is Real's third win in three games in this season's competition.
A slow first half, then a surge
Leipzig were the sharper side early on, according to Dân trí and Bongdaplus. Ridle Baku forced a save from Thibaut Courtois in the 20th minute and Romulo was also denied. Silva's 43rd-minute rebound was the former Manchester City player's first goal for the club.
After the break Real took control. The goals, as compiled by KBVN+ from Dân trí, Bongdaplus and The Guardian:
| Minute | Scorer | How it happened | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 43 | Bernardo Silva | Rebound after goalkeeper Maarten Vandevoordt saved from Güler | 1-0 |
| 52 | Arda Güler | Finish after Mbappé headed back Bellingham's cross | 2-0 |
| 83 | Kylian Mbappé | Curled into the top corner from Diomande's pass | 3-0 |
| 85 | Tidiam Gomis | Pulls one back for Leipzig | 3-1 |
| 87 | Yan Diomande | First-time volley from Brahim Diaz's cross | 4-1 |
Diomande, a former Leipzig player, replaced Vinícius in the 70th minute according to SGGP, set up the third goal and then scored against his old club.
Mbappé joins Zidane
Mbappé had a hand in two goals. Opta figures cited by Tuổi Trẻ show the header for Güler was his 26th Champions League assist, level with Zinedine Zidane, ahead of Thierry Henry (25) and behind only Karim Benzema (27) among French players. His own goal took him to 73 in the competition, fifth on the all-time list, Tuổi Trẻ added.
| Mbappé stat | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Champions League assists | 26, level with Zidane | Opta, via Tuổi Trẻ |
| Champions League goals | 73, fifth all-time | Tuổi Trẻ |
| Goals this season | 12 in 12 games | The Guardian |
| This Champions League campaign | Scored in all 3 games | The Guardian |
“We know every point is important to get into the top eight, we know we have to win as many games as possible – we’ve won three and there are five to go,” Mbappé said, according to The Guardian. He said he was playing well, then added: “I think I can do more.”
Vinícius struggles, Mourinho backs him
Vinícius had a frustrating night. SGGP reported that he started on the left, had 3 shots, 2 of them on target, before being substituted in the 70th minute, and has now gone 9 games without scoring for Real, with 2 assists.
Mourinho told MARCA, as reported by SGGP, that he was happy with what the Brazilian had done in the match and that the substitution was not a sign of dissatisfaction but a result of having a strong bench. He also urged the home crowd to keep supporting Vinícius.
What comes next
According to Dân trí and Bongdaplus, Real will face Barcelona in El Clásico in La Liga at 3:00 Vietnam time on 26 October. SGGP said Barcelona lead La Liga with 9 wins in 9 games, although Dân trí noted that Hansi Flick's side lost 4-2 to PSG in the Champions League. Bongdaplus called the Leipzig win a perfect warm-up for the trip.
Our pre-match piece on Real Madrid v Leipzig has the build-up to this game.