Real Madrid beat RB Leipzig 2-1 on aggregate in the Champions League last 16
To say it was a cagey first half in the Spanish capital would be a gross understatement, with the visitors shading an opening 45 minutes in which there was just the one shot on target.
But a one-goal advantage from the first leg meant that Real simply needed to avoid defeat, something they did following Vinicius Junior’s second-half strike. Willi Orban pulled one back for the visitors, but the 14-time European champions held on to progress to the last eight.
How the game unfolded
With a one-goal advantage from the first leg, Real Madrid were in no rush at the Santiago Bernabeu. It was a pedestrian start to proceedings from La Liga’s leaders, who were keen not to commit too many bodies forward into the final third.
Leipzig were far more aggressive in their approach from the first kick and Lois Openda was guilty of spurning an early opportunity as the Bundesliga side looked to counter with pace. The Belgian came close to breaking the deadlock just several minutes later, but fired another promising opportunity wide of Andriy Lunin’s left post.
Real had been dealt several warning signs throughout a tame first half and Xavi Simons was the man that came closest to opening the scoring for Leipzig five minutes before the break, with the Dutchman seeing his curled effort rebuffed by Lunin. Openda’s powerful shot just a minute later whistled past the post, with neither side able to open the scoring prior to the half-time whistle.
Openda gave Real yet another scare shortly after the restart, rounding Lunin before wasting an opportunity to shoot as the Ukrainian goalkeeper dived at his feet to reclaim possession.
