By CNN
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Brahim Díaz scored a sensational goal on Tuesday to earn an injury-plagued Real Madrid a 1-0 win and the advantage in its Champions League last-16 tie against RB Leipzig.
The 24-year-old’s brilliant effort was the only goal of the first leg, with the Spanish giant taking its slim lead into the return fixture at the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid on March 6.
Díaz was stepping in for the injured Jude Bellingham and produced a moment of magic that even the English superstar would have been proud of.
After the host had kept the 14-time European champion at bay in the first half, Díaz broke the deadlock in the 48th minute.
The diminutive attacker picked the ball up on the right touchline, before beating his defender with a deft body-feint.
He then dribbled past two more Leipzig players, staying on his feet despite attempts to knock him off balance.
Díaz then darted into shooting range before unleashing a curling effort with his left foot which hit the top corner of the net.
“He’s full of confidence in his game. He scored a spectacular goal, it was incredible,” Carlo Ancelotti told reporters, speaking about Díaz’s performance.
“Of course, the goal was the highlight, but he worked as hard as anyone.”
Díaz had spent three years on loan at Italian club AC Milan before returning back to Madrid this season.
And, despite not playing regularly, he stepped up with an important moment for his team which was without a number of first-team regulars, including talisman Bellingham and center back Antonio Rüdiger.
Díaz copied Bellingham’s trademark celebration for his goal and the English midfielder took to social media to have his say on his teammate’s superb solo effort.
“Oh my god Brahim!!!” Bellingham wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Despite being named Player of the Match, it wasn’t quite the perfect night for Díaz, after the playmaker picked up a calf injury which forced him to miss the final minutes of the game; however, the malagueño appeared to be walking without help after the match.
Madrid goalkeeper steps up
In truth, a depleted Los Blancos looked far short of their fluent best and can thank its third-choice goalkeeper Andriy Lunin for helping win the match.
The Ukrainian produced a number of fine saves to maintain his side’s clean sheet, including a stunning stop to keep Amadou Haidara’s volley out in the closing stages.
“It was difficult for us, that’s how it is here,” Carlo Ancelotti added, per Reuters.
“The start of the first half and second half were difficult. [Andriy] Lunin played a great game, the best game.”
Leipzig also had an early goal disallowed in the first half after Benjamin Šeško’s header was controversially ruled out by the linesman flagging for offside.
Replays showed that while Šeško himself was onside, his teammate Benjamin Henrichs was in an offside position and was adjudged to have interfered with the goalkeeper – nudging the Madrid keeper ever so slightly.
However, despite being slightly hampered by the presence of Henrichs, Lunin was likely never saving the header. The decision, though, was upheld after a check by the video assistant referee, much to the displeasure of the home side and crowd.
Madrid has now won seven Champions League matches in a row and will be confident of progressing into the quarterfinals with the return leg being played at the intimidating Santiago Bernabéu.
Elsewhere in the Champions League, reigning champion Manchester City beat FC Copenhagen 3-1 in the first leg of its last-16 tie.
Kevin De Bruyne was in imperious form yet again and was heavily involved in all three goals.
The Belgian playmaker scored the opener, had a major hand in creating the second and provided the assist for the third on a successful evening for the English Premier League champion.
