Dribble, 13.2/photo: Walla studio! Video editing: Ziv Steiner
Even when it is not rampaging and not showing impressive football, you can count on Real Madrid to do the job - certainly in the Champions League.
The most decorated team in Europe returned to their favorite factory last night (Tuesday) and got closer to the quarter-finals thanks to a 0:1 away win over R.B.
Leipzig, which is mainly signed by two players who probably at the beginning of the season no one imagined would star in this position: Brahim Dias who scored the great winning goal and Andrey Lunin who kept a clean sheet.
10 days ago, Dias was added to the lineup when Vinicius was injured in the warm-up before the derby against Atlético Madrid, and even then he scored, but it was only enough for a draw.
This time he was called to the flag following the injury of Jude Bellingham and found the net in a huge solo operation, which included both an impressive slalom and a powerful finish, which drew comparisons to the greatest idol in the history of Barcelona.
"Brahim's move reminded me of Messi's best antics", wrote "Marka", with English commentators Michael Owen and Owen Hargreaves also agreeing: "It was Messi's goal".
Like Bellingham.
Celebrating Brahim Dias/GettyImages, David S. Bustamante/Soccrates
Equally moving was Dias' gesture immediately afterwards.
The midfielder paid homage to the injured Bellingham and celebrated like him, while at the same time the number 5 of the Blancos tweeted in response to the performance: "Oh my guard Brahim!".
After the game, the conqueror said: "Bellingham? I can say that I really like him. I'm helping him learn Spanish. Apart from the charisma he has, he's a great player."
What slightly overshadowed Dias' evening was that he was injured towards the end and had to be replaced, but the midfielder is not worried: "I will do tests tomorrow and I am sure that nothing will happen."
As usual, Real Madrid do the work in the Champions League/GettyImages, David S. Bustamante/Soccrates
There is a keeper at the gate.
Andrei Lunin/GettyImages, David S. Bustamante/Soccrates
Between the bars of Real, Lunin produced his best performance in the team and that was enough for the Spanish media to determine: he beat Cafe in the competition for the first goalkeeper vest.
The Ukrainian made no fewer than nine saves and became the first to do so in an away game in a Champions League knockout game since Gigi Buffon at Celtic in 2013.
Along with Iker Casillas (against Liverpool in 2009) and Thibaut Courtois (in the final in 2022), he is the only Real Madrid goalkeeper to have made eight or more saves outside the Santiago Bernabeu in the knockout stages of the factory.
"To win the Champions League, you need a goalkeeper, and Real Madrid has one," Lunin was crowned in "Marca".
Ancelotti also had no doubt: "This is Lunin's best game since I've known him."
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