{"id":68727,"date":"2024-03-08T05:16:06","date_gmt":"2024-03-08T05:16:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/madrid-reach-ucl-quarters-after-leipzig-draw-the-express-tribune\/"},"modified":"2024-03-08T05:16:06","modified_gmt":"2024-03-08T05:16:06","slug":"madrid-reach-ucl-quarters-after-leipzig-draw-the-express-tribune","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/madrid-reach-ucl-quarters-after-leipzig-draw-the-express-tribune\/","title":{"rendered":"Madrid reach UCL quarters after Leipzig draw | The Express Tribune"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\nMADRID:
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Real Madrid scraped through into the Champions League quarter-finals with a 1-1 second-leg draw against RB Leipzig<\/a> on Wednesday, progressing 2-1 on aggregate.<\/p>\n

The record 14-time champions were far below their best but did just enough over the two legs of the last-16 clash to edge out their Bundesliga opponents.<\/p>\n

Despite Leipzig shading the game, Vinicius Junior opened the scoring in the 65th minute after being set up well by Jude Bellingham.<\/p>\n

Willi Orban quickly levelled for the visitors but they could not find a second goal to force extra-time at the Santiago Bernabeu.<\/p>\n

Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti<\/a> said his team suffered and did not approach the game well mentally.<\/p>\n

“We played badly, with little intensity, with worries … the psychological aspect conditioned our game a lot,” Ancelotti told Movistar.<\/p>\n

“We played against an opponent with quality, who had nothing to lose, and we had the brakes on from start to finish — we suffered, but the important thing was to get to the quarter-finals.”<\/p>\n

Ancelotti warned his players before the game they needed to be at their best to progress and showed his cautious side by playing four midfielders behind Bellingham and Vinicius.<\/p>\n

The Italian brought Aurelien Tchouameni forward into defensive midfield, also deploying Eduardo Camavinga, Fede Valverde and Toni Kroos, as he looked to protect the 1-0 first-leg lead.<\/p>\n

However Ancelotti’s gameplan stunted Madrid’s own attacking game without completely stifling Leipzig’s.<\/p>\n

“It was not our best day, but we have to be happy because the objective is complete,” Madrid captain Nacho Fernandez told Movistar.<\/p>\n

“When things don’t go as you want, you have to battle, to fight, to play games like today’s that make you grow and learn.”<\/p>\n

The German side had the better of the first half, albeit without carving out clear chances until just before the break.<\/p>\n

Andriy Lunin palmed away a strike from Xavi Simons, on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, while Lois Openda rifled a shot into the side netting.<\/p>\n

Ancelotti shifted back to a more typical set-up for the second half, introducing Rodrygo at half-time for Camavinga.<\/p>\n

It opened up the game at both ends and Vinicius began to have more influence after a quiet first half — albeit not always for good. The Brazilian was booked for barging Orban in the back and then shoving the Leipzig captain.<\/p>\n

Vinicius’ frustration quickly turned to joy though when Bellingham burst forward, showing superb timing to release the forward, who fired into the top corner at the end of a smart counter-attack.<\/p>\n

Toni Kroos started the break and despite being outnumbered, Bellingham and Vinicius showed their decisive quality to send the hosts ahead.<\/p>\n

Madrid’s delight was short-lived though, with Orban levelling just three minutes later.<\/p>\n

The Hungarian defender’s excellent diving header from David Raum’s cross set up a gripping denouement.<\/p>\n

Madrid striker Joselu, on as a substitute, sent a tame effort at Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi before Dani Olmo hit the woodwork.<\/p>\n

The former Barcelona youth player’s lob dropped on to the crossbar and out of play as thousands of Madrid fans held their breath.<\/p>\n

Europe’s most crowned side were taken to the wire on a nervy night by Marco Rose’s side, only founded in 2009, but steeled themselves and held on to progress.<\/p>\n

“If you add the 180 minutes up, we clearly had the better chances — I don’t know how they scored today,” Leipzig defender Benjamin Henrichs told DAZN.<\/p>\n

“We played so well and it’s so tough that we’re out.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

MADRID: Real Madrid scraped through into the Champions League quarter-finals with a 1-1 second-leg draw against RB Leipzig on Wednesday, progressing 2-1 on aggregate. The record 14-time champions were far below their best but did just enough over the two legs of the last-16 clash to edge out their Bundesliga opponents. Despite Leipzig shading the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":68728,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/i.tribune.com.pk\/media\/images\/Madrid-v-RB-Leipzic1709854872-0\/Madrid-v-RB-Leipzic1709854872-0.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-68727","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t