After replacing Kepa Arrizabalaga at the last minute, Real Madrid defeated Braga 3-0 on Wednesday to go to the Champions League knockout stage for the 27th consecutive season. Andriy Lunin saved an early penalty.
With goals from Brahim Díaz, Vinícius Júnior, and Rodrygo, Madrid won its fourth game out of four in Group C. Madrid now leads Napoli by five points. In the other group game, Madrid’s opponents, Union Berlin, drew 1-1 at home. Braga maintained their position as third with three points, meaning they may still advance to the next round.
The Portuguese team has never progressed past the preliminary round. It is their first Champions League appearance in eleven seasons, and its third overall.
Jude Bellingham, who rested on the sidelines this week due to a shoulder ailment, did not feature in Madrid’s victory.
After becoming hurt during warm-ups, Kepa was unable to play and was replaced by Lunin, who dipped to his right to stop an Álvaro Djaló penalty kick six minutes into the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium encounter, leaving the score level 0-0. In stoppage time, Lunin again produced a fantastic save from a header.
“It demonstrates the power of our team,” Rodrygo remarked. “Lunin is always working hard in the gym and performing well. He even made a huge save at the end of the game when he finally got to play.”
Thibaut Courtois, who will miss a significant portion of the season due to a knee injury, will be replaced in the starting lineup by Kepa, who was signed by Chelsea on loan this season. Kepa allegedly suffered a leg muscle issue.
After the penalty was saved, Madrid took the lead. In the 27th minute, Díaz scored the first goal thanks to a ball from Rodrygo. Vinícius then doubled the lead with a deft move inside the area in the 58th minute, and Rodrygo completed the scoring in the 61st minute with a lobbed shot over the goalkeeper.
Braga’s two prior seasons both ended in the group stage. It began the competition this year in the third qualifying round.
Union Berlin’s 12-game losing skid is ended by a 1-1 tie.
Union Berlin’s extraordinary losing run came to an unexpected end on Wednesday when it salvaged a 1-1 draw against Serie A champion Napoli in the Champions League.
Napoli took the lead in the 39th minute thanks to a goal from Matteo Politano, but Union’s loanee David Datro Fofana tied the score seven minutes into the second half with his first goal in nearly a year to save the match.
In Group C, Napoli held the second position.
Alex Meret, the goalie for apoli, but Fofana finished off the rebound.
Since netting a goal for Molde on November 13 of last year, it was his first club goal.
