Champions League: RB Leipzig falls to Real Madrid in Madrid

Leipzig brought on fresh attacking players for the second half, including Christoph Baumgartner, who immediately made an impact after the restart. However, the hosts' pressure did not relent; instead, the Royals extended their advantage.

The battle of the goalkeepers also became a factor, as Real keeper Thibaut Courtois defused several Leipzig chances. At the other end, Maarten Vandevoordt was forced to retrieve the ball from his net on multiple occasions, while Kylian Mbappé repeatedly drove the Spanish attack forward.

Individual quality on both sides

As the game wore on, Leipzig lost their grip and conceded further goals. The Madrid players managed their lead comfortably and controlled proceedings at will.

After the final whistle, the result was a clear away defeat for the Saxons, who had previously won only one away match all season. In the DFB-Pokal, that was a 6:0 at fourth-division side Eintracht Trier; beyond that, Werner's side's away outings had yielded no success.

In the Champions League league phase standings, the setback means Leipzig must pick up points urgently in the coming weeks to keep alive their chance of reaching the knockout round. The draw for the remaining matchdays still offers an opportunity to correct course.

Outlook in the league phase

In personnel terms, Leipzig had fielded Nicolas Seiwald before kickoff, with Ezechiel Banzuzi dropping out of the starting eleven. The coaching staff intended this to stabilize the defensive midfield, but the plan did not work against the individual qualities of the Royals.

Real Madrid, meanwhile, used the commanding performance to underline its reputation as the record winner of the Champions League and remains in a strong position in the race for direct qualification for the round of 16.