Madrid (AFP)

Zinédine Zidane kept his word: after the promise that his men would make "a great game" on Tuesday, Real Madrid outclassed Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-0 on Wednesday to snatch first place in Group B and a precious ticket for the round of 16 of Champions League.

In the hot seat after the rout against Shakhtar Donetsk (2-0) last week in C1, Zidane was able to count on his usual talisman on Wednesday: his French compatriot Karim Benzema, with a double header (9th, 32nd), allowed "ZZ" to keep his post on the merengue bench and continue to believe in a new European miracle.

With this tour de force at home, Real Madrid took first place in Group B ahead of “M'Gladbach”, second qualifier.

Shakhtar Donetsk, 3rd, will therefore be transferred to C3, and Inter Milan are eliminated.

- From the respondent -

The men of the big dates: Benzema, back at the highest level after an injury to his left leg that sent him to the infirmary for a short month, and Ramos, back after an injury to his right leg mid -November gave a seat to an overtaken Real Madrid in Ukraine last week ... and agreed with the confident "Zizou".

"I am convinced that we will make a great match from start to finish. The club, the players, we are all used to playing these matches under pressure, where you have to give your maximum by putting emotions aside. is the last match of the group stage, we know what we're playing, "Zidane assured, serene, Tuesday at a press conference.

Never as strong as during the decisive posters, Zidane once again managed to straighten his team in time, to allow the "White House" to come out for a 24th consecutive season of the C1 group stage (since 1997).

After winning a first ultimatum on the field of Seville, reigning Europa League winner, Saturday in the league (1-0), Zidane was able to instill the necessary motivation in his group, which delivered one of its performances on Wednesday. the strongest of the season.

The Madrilenians were undoubtedly also sensitive to the speech of the president of Real Florentino Perez, who made the trip to Andalusia on Saturday to tell them the crucial importance of this series of three matches (Sevilla, M'Gladbach, Atlético Madrid), d 'after the Spanish press.

- Pléa and Thuram, extinct but qualified -

Immediate effects: Wednesday, the Madrilenians erased their tendency to offer their best and their worst face in the same game, to sign a controlled match from start to finish.

In the wake of Benzema and Ramos, some second knives of Real also shone.

This is the case of the right lane of the two decisive passers Rodrygo and especially Lucas Vazquez, sparkling on Wednesday night.

Conversely, for the young French internationals of M'Gladbach, the evening was more complicated: despite the very offensive eleven aligned by Marco Rose with four attackers, Alassane Pléa and Marcus Thuram were little supplied with the ball, both the pressing Madrid was stifling in the midfield.

A completely different match from the first leg for Thuram and Pléa, who had combined well to score a double (33rd, 58th) neutralized at the very end of the match by Benzema (89th) and Casemiro (90th + 3) ...

Despite the defeat, "Gladbach" will still be present in the 8th, qualified as 2nd in group B. And for Real, it will be a question of surfing on this excellent performance in the derby against Atlético on Saturday ... before wait for the 8th finals of C1 to correct the misstep of last August.

© 2020 AFP