Champions League football is back! The Round of 16 is underway as RB Leipzig take on 14-time winners Real Madrid. Tonight I, Isabelle Newnham, will take you through all the action with minute-by-minute updates LIVE on INMR. Will Leipzig shock us and beat the European giants or will Los Blancos begin the hunt to regain one of football’s greatest prizes with a victory in Germany? Find out here, coverage begins at 7pm GMT.
The scene is set:
The starting line-ups are out, take a look:
RB Leipzig: Péter Gulácsi, David Raum, Willi Orban, Lukas Klostermann, Mohamed Simakan, Xavi Simons, Xaver Schlager, Benjamin Henrichs, Dani Olmo, Ikoma Lois Openda, Benjamin Šeško (Substitutes: Eljif Elmas, Yussuf Poulsen, Amadou Haidara, Kevin Kampl)
Real Madrid: Andriy Lunin, Dani Carvajal, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Nacho Fernandez, Ferland Mendy, Eduardo Camavinga, Toni Kroos, Federico Valverde, Brahim Diaz, Rodrygo, Vinicius Junior (Substitutes: Joselu, Lucas Vázquez)
RB LEIPZIG VS REAL MADRID: AS IT HAPPENED
1′: And we’re off. RB Leipzig win a corner almost immediately. København vs Man City is also underway.
2′: Goal for RB Leipzig! Oh no, it’s been ruled offside by the linesman. What a start that would have been. The corner was punched out by Lunin but came back in via a deflected shot. Šeško got his head on the stray ball and put it into an open goal but it won’t count.
Embed from Getty Images3′: How’s he not scored?! Real Madrid are under real pressure here. Šeško went for a volleyed effort after the chipped through-ball found him inside the penalty area. A volley wasn’t the right option though as Šeško couldn’t get enough to convert.
6′: Real Madrid win a free kick in the middle of the park; Valverde is brought down by Simons.
7′: Madrid’s first chance of the game falls to Rodrygo who can’t quite get enough purchase on the strike.
8′: Real Madrid win a corner, Rodrygo’s cross was intercepted but put out of play. Toni Kroos to take, Tchouameni rises highest but his header is cleared off the line.
10′: Leipzig are looking really dangerous going forward so far, Šeško nearly scored again. Played through on goal by Dani Olmo with only Lunin to beat but aims it straight at the Real Madrid goalkeeper.
11′: Elsewhere in Europe – Manchester City have gone 1-0 up, Kevin De Bruyne is the goalscorer. Great start for the reigning champions.
Embed from Getty Images15′: Henrichs has a good effort on goal but it’s straight at Lunin. Plenty of power on the strike but the German couldn’t get any direction on it.
19′: Brahim Diaz plays some cute passes around the Leipzig defence before finding Vinicius Junior on the left. His cross is a little too high for Valverde but it’s good football from Madrid. All started by Diaz who’s been given the tricky job of filling Jude Bellingham’s boots.
20′: Another half chance for the Red Bulls but Šeško hits the side netting. He’s certainly not short service this evening. Corner to Leipzig, it’s quickly lofted into the area but Lunin easily collects.
22′: Rodrygo’s shot is blocked, it falls back out to the winger but he’s swarmed by three Leipzig players.
23′: Vinicius Junior bursts down the left wing, Rodrygo is waiting in the area but as the ball reaches him the Leipzig defence were able to do just enough to put him off. The Brazilian fluffs the shot and it trickles towards Gulácsi.
25′: 11 attempts so far between the two sides, five of those on target. It’s been a decent start in Germany but no goal as of yet.
Embed from Getty Images28′: Leipzig break down the right wing, Šeško floats the ball towards the back post where Simons is screaming for it. The PSG loanee gets the ball but can’t manage to find space for a shot, the chance peters out and Valverde has emerged out of the box with possession.
29′: Woahhh, dangerous challenge from Carvajal on Simons. He’s protesting he won the ball but looking at the replay there’s no chance. Carvajal is a very lucky boy, Simons felt that one as he hasn’t got up yet.
31′: Simons is back up on his feet and play has continued. How Carvajal hasn’t been carded there I don’t know.
33′: Bit of ping-pong football outside Real Madrid’s 18-yard box but the ball has broken for Leipzig, the cross into the box is way overhit and Openda isn’t happy. He was all on his own in the six-yard box.
34′: Elsewhere in Europe – Magnus Mattsson equalises for København against Man City, 1-1 now.
Embed from Getty Images38′: Real Madrid enjoy a decent spell of possession but it’s all over as Valverde’s stray pass has gone out for a throw-in. Although they are a European powerhouse, they have been slightly sloppy at points tonight.
40′: The tempo has dropped a little on the pitch in the last five minutes but the same can’t be said for the fans, they’ve been electric all game so far. The Red Bull Arena is bouncing – fantastic atmosphere.
42′: Vinicius Junior delivers a dangerous cross into the box the ball flashes across the face of goal but Rodrygo can’t get there. Now Leipzig are on their way up the pitch, Šeško is through again. Wow! What a challenge from Tchouaméni to stop Šeško in his tracks. After a small quiet spell, the end-to-end action is back.
44′: Big chance squandered by Vinicius Junior. He plays a quick one-two with Diaz after dancing past multiple opponents. Diaz dinks the ball into Vinicius Junior but the Brazilian’s first-time strike is way below his standards. He connects poorly and can’t find the target from close range.
45′: There is going to be one minute of additional time. There is a little bit of tension on the sidelines between the two managers, RB Leipzig’s Marco Rose is in the referee’s book.
45+1′: Elsewhere in Europe – Man City regain the advantage thanks to Bernardo Silva, 2-1 City.
Embed from Getty Images45+1′: It’s half time, plenty of chances for both sides but somehow it’s still 0-0. Still all to play for, the players will be back in 15 minutes. See you shortly!
HT: Lots of people are debating the disallowed goal on social media, here’s the picture, let us know your thoughts on X (@inmrjournalist).
45′: We are back underway! Similarly to the first half, Leipzig are on the front foot from the get go. They’ve won a corner and nearly gone in front, Rose’s side surely just a few chances away from a goal. They’ve been brilliant so far but haven’t been able to apply the finishing touch.
49′: GOALLLL! BRAHIM DIAZ BREAKS THE DEADLOCK. Diaz receives the ball on the right wing and glides past multiple defenders before curling the ball into the top corner. A moment of magic from the Spaniard, that’s his eighth this season. He mimics Bellingham’s celebration and you have to say, that’s a strike the Englishman would be proud of. What a goal! 1-0 Real Madrid.
Embed from Getty Images51′: Leipzig are looking for an instant response as they rush towards the Madrid penalty area. Again though the shot is straight at Lunin, that’s been the story of their evening. So many chances but they aren’t putting it in the corners.
53′: Carvajal is down in his own penalty area holding his face after an altercation with Simakan. The Leipzig full-back receives a yellow card and play has continued.
58′: Leipzig are sloppy at the back and Simikan can’t keep the ball in play. Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo both celebrate in front of the travelling fans as the ball rolls out. They’ll be pleased with what they’ve seen so far in the second half.
59′: Raum crosses the ball into the box but it’s punched away by Lunin. Falls to Simons who can’t find any room as all the Real Madrid defenders get behind the ball. Leipzig try some quick short passes but the away side aren’t having it.
62′: Olmo plays the ball to Šeško with the outside of his boot and if not for a rapid Lunin rushing to slide tackle the Slovenian, it would have most likely been all sqaure. RB Leipzig retrieve possession and Olmo has a great chance to score but blazes it over the bar.
64′: What are Leipzig doing?! A mix-up at the back allows Real Madrid to go through on goal. Vinicius Junior lays it off for Rodrygo who puts a bit too much power on the shot and rifles it over. Ancelotti’s side are growing into the game now and look like they could score every time they win the ball.
66′: Carvajal is finally booked. It was coming, countless fouls and this time it’s enough to go in the referee’s book. Simons broke with the ball and the Spaniard dragged him to the ground to prevent a counter-attack.
Embed from Getty Images71′: Low-driven effort by Olmo tipped away by Lunin, now Real Madrid break with Diaz leading the counter. Diaz lays it off to Vinicius Junior who cuts the ball on across his body and prods the ball past Gulácsi. Vinicius Junior begins to celebrate but the ball grazes the post and comes back out to Diaz who can’t get the ball out of his feet. The score remains 1-0 Real Madrid but that was a huge chance for them to double the advantage.
75′: Triple substitution for RB Leipzig. Openda makes way for Yussuf Poulsen, Olmo for Eljif Elmas, and Henrichs for Amadou Haidara.
77′: Poulsen is immediately among the action as he receives a yellow card for a late challenge on Camavinga.
78′: Simikan plays a low-driven cross across the face of goal but none of the attackers gamble and the ball dribbles out of play.
81′: Simons pulls off a lovely bit of skill. He lifts the ball over the Madrid defence, brings the ball down with his knee, and volleys it at goal. The Madrid keeper palms the dipping strike away, he looks unbeatable tonight.
Embed from Getty Images81′: Šeško denied again by Lunin, through on goal but can’t find the back of the net. Diaz gave the ball away, he stopped playing due to what looks like a pulled hamstring. Leipzig continued to play and had a great chance to equalise but couldn’t take it.
84′: Diaz is unable to continue and has been replaced by Lucas Vázquez. Rodrygo also makes way for Joselu for some fresh legs in attack.
85′: RB Leipzig have a corner but Vinicius Junior delays them by coming too close to the quadrant and is given a yellow card.
86′: Another booking, this time for Šeško. Nothing cynical but his overhead kick attempt went south, he kicked Tchouaméni in the face instead.
Embed from Getty Images90′: There will be four minutes of additional time. Not long for Leipzig to get back in it.
90+1′: Rose makes another change, Kevin Kampl replaces Xaver.
90+2′: Elsewhere in Europe – Phil Foden has City’s third. It’s game over in Copenhagen.
Embed from Getty Images90+4′: It’s full time in Leipzig, half time in the tie. The home side will be disappointed beyond belief, they had a plethora of chances to go ahead but it wasn’t to be. Lunin is without a doubt the Man of the Match in my opinion, he made nine saves and was a brick wall between the sticks. Los Blancos have the advantage in the tie and will look to finish the job at the Bernabeu in March. RB Leipzig 0-1 Real Madrid.
FT: That’s all from me, thanks for following along. Despite the scoreline, it was one exciting game. Real Madrid have a narrow advantage heading into the second leg but if Leipzig took their chances, it could have been a very different story. That’s football! Goodnight.
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Written by Isabelle Newnham
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