Bundesliga
Leipzig still in Real Madrid Champions League tie
RB Leipzig were desperately unlucky not to get a result after losing 1-0 to Real Madrid in the home leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie.
RB Leipzig 0-1 Real Madrid
Goals: 0-1 Díaz (48')
Leipzig thought they'd taken the lead inside three minutes, but Benjamin Šeško was adjudged to have been offside as he headed in a Xaver Schlager cross. Andriy Lunin repelled a Benjamin Henrichs shot, while Peter Gulácsi had to be alert to a long-range hit from ex-Bayern Munich midfielder Toni Kroos. Šeško continued to make a nusisance of himself up against a makeshift Real defence, but Leipzig were a touch fortunate to go in at the break level after Loïs Openda cleared a Aurélien Tchouaméni header off the line.
Brahim Díaz did put the visitors in front with a mazy run and finish soon after the restart. Leipzig tried to go straight back on the offensive, but Dani Olmo could not beat Lunin, with Šeško's rebound also saved. Lunin denied Olmo once more, the Ukrainian goalkeeper then kick-starting a counter that ended with Vinicius Júnior striking the woodwork. The stand-in Real stopper then foiled Xavi and Šeško, leaving Leipzig down but not out ahead of the return fixture in Madrid on 6 March.
Match stats
- Openda had scored four times across his first six Champions League games for Leipzig, prior to the Real defeat.
- Xavi is Leipzig's next biggest attacking threat, with seven goals and nine assists (two of each in the Champions League).
- Leipzig lost 2-0 in Madrid in the 2022/23 groups, but won the reverse fixture 3-2 on home soil.
- Die Roten Bullen are competing in the Champions League for the sixth time. They have reached the knockouts on three occasions, including the semi-finals in 2019/20.
- Real's injured midfielder Jude Bellingham produced 24 goals and 25 assists in 132 competitive appearances for Borussia Dortmund.
- Real's record across 29 Champions League games in Germany is: W10, D6, L13.
Teams
Leipzig: Gulácsi - Simakan, Klostermann, Orban (c) - Henrichs (Haidara 75'), Xavi, Schlager (Kampl 90'), Olmo (Elmas 75'), Raum - Šeško, Openda (Poulsen 75')
Unused subs: Blaswich, Zingerle, Lenz, Bitshiabu, Seiwald, Baumgartner, Lukeba, Jatta
Out: -
Coach: Marco Rose
Real: Lunin - Carvajal, Tchouaméni, Nacho (c), Mendy - Valverde, Camavinga, Kroos, Díaz (Vázquez 84') - Vinícius, Rodrygo (Joselu 84')
Unused subs: Arrizabalaga, González, Modric, Modrić, Ceballos, Fran García, Arda Güler, Mario Martín, Paz, Alvaro Carrillo, Ramón
Out: Alaba (knee), Bellingham (sprained ankle), Courtois (knee), Kepa (groin), Militao (knee), Rüdiger (hamstring)
Coach: Carlo Ancelotti
As it happened!
0 - 1(0 - 0)
Leipzig
FINAL
Madrid
90' +4
vs
Full-time: Leipzig 0-1 Real Madrid
Brahim Díaz's fine second-half goal settles this Round of 16, first leg at the Red Bull Arena in Real Madrid's favour. RB Leipzig had their chances in this game, most notably through Benjamin Šeško, but the Slovenian had an effort chalked out early on and found Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin in fine form thereafter. The Bundesliga side are far from out of the tie, however, and will look to turn things around in the second leg in Spain on 6 March.
90' +3
vs
No way through
Vinícius Júnior has a shot blocked by Haidara at the death.
90'
vs
Time added on
We'll have four minutes of added time here.
90'
vs
Kevin Kampl
Xaver Schlager
85'
vs
Šeško warned
Šeško picks up a yellow for a foul on Tchouameni, shortly after Vinícius had gone into the referee's notebook.
85'
vs
Benjamin Šeško
85'
vs
Vinícius Júnior
85'
vs
Still Leipzig press
A Xavi corner eventually finds its way to Haidara, who volleys at the target from the edge of the area. Lunin gets his figertips to that one and prevents the hosts yet again.
84'
vs
Double change
A double swap by Madrid, who see goalscorer Brahim Díaz limp out of the contest.
84'
vs
Joselu
Rodrygo
84'
vs
Vázquez
Díaz
80'
vs
Super Xavi
A fantastic volley from Xavi is well saves by Lunin.
81'
vs
Šeško spurns another one
Haidara picks out the Slovenian who is away. It's been a bad night at the office for Šeško, however, with the Leipzig forward again foiled by visiting goalkeeper Lunin.
77'
vs
Poulsen booked
He hasn't been on the field all that long, but Yussuf Poulsen is already booked for a foul on Camavinga.
77'
vs
Yussuf Poulsen
75'
vs
Triple RBL swap
The hosts throw Poulsen, Elmas, and Haidara into the mix for the last quarter of an hour.
75'
vs
Amadou Haidara
Benjamin Henrichs
75'
vs
Eljif Elmas
Dani Olmo
75'
vs
Yussuf Poulsen
Loïs Openda
73'
vs
Chances aplenty
Somewhat incredibly, after 24 chances (13 for Real Madrid, 11 for Leipzig), we've still only had one goal at the Red Bull Arena.
71'
vs
Real Madrid hit the post
Lunin saves Dani Olmo's shot from distance. Madrid break and the ball falls for Vinicius Júnior, who strikes against the post.
68'
vs
Raum determined
Rodrygo this time turns provider for Vinicius, whose effort is blocked out by Raum.
66'
vs
Carvajal sees yellow
Dani Carvajal fouls Xavi and that's a booking for the visiting defender.
66'
vs
Carvajal
63'
vs
Madrid chance
Vinicius Júnior tees up Rodrygo in space but the Real Madrid attacker can't keep his shot down and that's a bit of a let off for Leipzig.
61'
vs
Not this time, Dani Olmo
Olmo picks up possession on the right before unleashing a shot that flies off target.
53'
vs
Simakan woe
It's more bad news for Leipzig with Mohamed Simakan booked, meaning the defender is suspended for the second leg.
53'
vs
Mohamed Simakan
52'
vs
Almost Olmo
Lunin frustrates the Leipzig attacker, whose shot could have been better when well placed. Šeško's follow up is also dealt with by the Madrid goalkeeper.
50'
vs
Díaz in full flow
That was a super goal from Brahim Díaz, who was in Real Madrid's starting line-up tonight to replace the injured ex Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham.
49'
vs
Real Madrid lead
Brahim Diaz breaks down the flank before cutting inside, beating several Leipzig players and finding the corner of the goal with a superb shot. Top goal.
46'
vs
Šeško involved again
Raum's corner is met by Šeško, who can't quite get his header right and Kroos is able to clear.
46'
vs
Away we go again
Real Madrid kick off the second half.
45' +1
vs
Half-time: Leipzig 0-0 Real Madrid
The teams go in at half time and the hosts will be more than pleased with their first-half showing. Benjamin Šeško had a goal ruled out early on and the Slovenian may have broken the deadlock on three other occasions while at the other end, Aurélien Tchouaméni saw a header cleared off the line by Loïs Openda.
45'
vs
Time added on
We'll have one minute added to the end of the first half.
42'
vs
Tchouameni alert
The Real Madrid midfielder, playing in defence tonight, makes an important challenge to deny Šeško from breaking away on goal.
38'
vs
Drop off
Perhaps unsurprisingly after such a fast start, this game has hit a slight lull in the last few minutes with some mistakes beginning to creep into the contest.
28'
vs
Xavi a-ok
Leipzig's creator-in-chief Xavi was down receiving treatment earlier, which had coach Marco Rose looking on with concern. The Dutch wizard has since recovered and is looking back to his best now, however.
20'
vs
Šeško menacing
Olmo feeds Šeško, whose shot from a tight angle hits the side netting.
25'
vs
Visitors upping their game
Madrid are beginning to get a foothold over proceedings and have upped their possession share to 53 per cent.
22'
vs
Orban stands tall
The shot count is rising quickly with Rodrygo the latest player to have a crack following a flowing Madrid move. Willi Orban manages to get a block in.
18'
vs
End-to-end
After a slight drop in pace, the game is end-to-end once again. Toni Kroos wallops a shot at the goal which Gulácsi saves while at the other end, Tchouameni blocks one more Šeško effort.
14'
vs
Henrichs has a go
The Leipzig full back does like a crack at goal and he's tried one from distance here, with Lunin equal to the effort. Plenty to be encouraged about here for the Bundesliga side.
10'
vs
Hosts on the attack again
Šeško is set free and has goalkeeper Lunin in his sights! The Real Madrid custodian wins this battle, keeping the Leipzig forward's shot out with his legs.
8'
vs
Gulácsi saves
Tchouameni has a header cleared away by Openda before home goalkeeper Gulácsi fields a low drive from Camavinga. Real Madrid have been growing into this game in recent minutes.
5'
vs
VAR decision
In that disallowed Leipzig goal, it was Benjamin Henrichs and not Šeško who was adjudged to have been offside. Henrichs was obstructing the goalkeeper's view in the build-up.