Abraham P. RomeroSpecial envoy Leipzig
Special Envoy Leipzig
Updated Tuesday, February 13, 2024-22:59
Direct This is how we live it
A left-footed shot as soft as it was extraordinary from
Brahim relieved
Madrid
's suffocation
during their visit to
Germany
, a land always hostile and threatening for the whites. The goal becomes gold for
Carlo Ancelotti
's team , who suffered from the beginning.
Living up to the most absolute cliché,
Red Bull Leipzig
is a kind of brave bull. A being created to assert his physique and his drive above anything else. This is how
Marco Rose
's team came out
with the historic opportunity to hurt a depleted Madrid. Without their starting goalkeeper, without their starting centre-backs and without
Jude Bellingham
, the backbone of their new youth dynasty. The German team, a semi-finalist in the
Champions League
during the pandemic and already established in the European elite, has a name that invites us to think of
Cinderella
, but names and a style capable of subduing anyone.
In the first breath of the
Red Bull Arena, Sesko , inexplicably alone in the area, headed a poor shot by
Schlager
into the net
. At that moment, the line raised the flag and
Irfan Peljto
, a Bosnian referee, disallowed Henrichs's goal due to
positional offside
. The referee considered, angering the local crowd, that the footballer bothered
Lunin
from behind
during the action.
The anger of the disallowed goal further squeezed the German bravery against a Madrid that was still in the hotel. In the 2nd minute,
Sesko
, omnipresent, stayed one-on-one with Lunin, with Ancelotti's defense absent, and was unable to finish. The whites suffered in the quick transitions of Leipzig, who only wanted the ball to stab their rival. Without thinking.
In the 9th,
Dani Olmo
, electric like
Xavi Simons
, left Sesko alone again for the forward to finish at the feet of Lunin, who was successful in preventing the goal. The locals took advantage of
Nacho's back
, erratic in cuts and anticipation. Tchouaméni, next to him, had a better first half.
Once the initial barrage was overcome, Madrid took control of the ball. We already said that the Germans did not want it.
Kroos and Camavinga
were the protagonists of the possession, always trying to get it to Vinicius, in a physical duel against
Simakan
. Brahim, who came in for
Bellingham, and Rodrygo
, needed much more. With the ball, the Andalusian positioned himself as a center forward and the Brazilians opened to the wings, creating small spaces in the local 4-4-2. But it wasn't the day. Just one shot from
Kroos
before Sesko's new chance.
In the 20th, the Slovenian took advantage of Nacho's back again to attack the top of the area and threaten Lunin. Luckily, Tchouaméni appeared in this option to deflect the ball for a corner. The game entered the mud, too slow, without transitions, which is what these two teams enjoy the most, with many fouls and with Leipzig confronting the referee for not showing yellow cards to
Kroos and Carvajal
. Vinicius had several attempts, but Rodrygo was unable to finish any of his crosses and the whites received the break with relief due to the initial siege and the inaccuracies of the rest of the first half.
Brahim, great goal
After the locker room,
Brahim
invented a solution for the Madrid fans' stress. A bit more Argentinian (put his favorite Albiceleste left-hander here) than from Malaga. The former
Milan
player received close to the right line of the field, cut down the first defender who appeared to him, overcame the second with a powerful start and stood at the top of the area, where he threatened the shot. He entered the danger zone and found the corner of
Gulácsi
's right corner with a beautiful left-footed shot.
Madrid discovered its offensive MVP in the man from Malaga, and found in
Tchouaméni
the wall it needed to contain the German needs. The Frenchman, once again converted into a central defender, in a position that he does not like but in which perhaps his footballer card fits better, was imperially overlooked and providential in the cut.
Lunin, savior
While the Frenchman was bailing out, Leipzig's pace put his teammates in trouble.
Lunin stopped a shot from Olmo
, Sesko failed to reach the Ukrainian in another burst, Olmo had it again but his shot went high... Madrid entrusted its destiny to a counter that almost put a trap tie on a plate. And he had it at Rodrygo's feet.
In the 63rd minute, a cut by Valverde ended in a pass from
Brahim to Vinicius
for him to start. He reached the area and saw Rodrygo uncheck, without a mark, but the former Santos player put more force than position and the ball went over his head. It would not be Madrid's last chance to close the local story.
In the 71st minute, Brahim started another counterattack and gave Vinicius the chance to threaten the area. The Brazilian cut back
Klostermann
and finished with subtlety, almost touching the ball, but it crashed into the post.
The whites did not make a decision and Leipzig was able to tie, but
Lunin, with 9 saves
, saved the night and the victory, in which Ancelotti had to regret the worrying injury of the scorer Brahim. In three weeks, the return. Test passed.