Real Madrid celebrated its 122nd birthday yesterday, on the 6th of March and Los Blancos managed to bring joy to their fans by securing a spot in the Champions League quarter-finals. While the game with RB Leipzig finished in 1:1 draw and the outcome of the battle went in Real’s favour thanks to their one-goal advantage from the first leg in Germany, Los Blancos’ performance left much to be desired.
Familiar heroes stepped up for Real, as Vinicius Junior scored his 15th goal of the season, contributing to a total of 22 goals and assists in all competitions. Jude Bellingham, with his 10th assist of the season, now boasts 29 goal contributions in 31 games. The match could have swung in RB Leipzig’s favour if Dani Olmo’s injury-time shot had not struck the bar. “Luck favours the strong” as the saying goes, seemed apt for Real Madrid on this occasion.
Next round of the knockouts: secured! ⚽✅🙌🏾 And happy Birthday to the biggest club in the world @realmadrid 🤍🌍🙏🏾 #HalaMadrid #AlwaysBelieve #Hustle #UCL pic.twitter.com/0ul9tKZVCh
— Antonio Rüdiger (@ToniRuediger) March 6, 2024
Post-match, Jude Bellingham addressed his recent two-match suspension in LaLiga, stating: “Suspension? I don’t think I said anything offensive, I didn’t say anything different from what my teammates said.” The midfielder expressed his readiness to accept the decision and support his team from the stands if necessary.
Real Madrid’s manager, Carlo Ancelotti, also touched on his ongoing personal issues with the law. Regarding the prosecutor’s request for a prison sentence over a tax fraud, Ancelotti remarked: “It’s an old story that started eight years ago. The Prosecutor’s Office thinks that I was a resident, and I was not. I have already paid the fine. I’m innocent.”
Ancelotti also provided an encouraging update on the fitness of two key players, Thibaut Courtois and Eder Militao, suggesting that both could return for the Champions League quarter-finals. The news comes as a significant boost for Real Madrid as they look ahead to the next round of the competition, aiming to improve their performance levels.