Trouble over a disallowed RB goal
Real striker Diaz frustrates angry Leipzigers
February 13, 2024, 10:54 p.m
RB Leipzig gives Real Madrid a big fight and misses numerous top chances. The Royals punished this coldly in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16. Brahim Diaz scores a goal worth seeing. The referee causes trouble several times.
Usury of opportunities, referee anger – and an artificial shot in the heart: RB Leipzig is threatened with elimination in the round of 16 in the Champions League despite a courageous performance against Real Madrid. In a strong first leg at eye level, the Bundesliga team demanded everything from the record winners of the premier class and ultimately lost extremely unfortunately 0:1 (0:0). In the second leg on March 6th at the Bernabeu, RB has its back against the wall. The lively Brahim Diaz (49th) reduced Leipzig’s chances of progressing with a remarkable goal.
“We had our chances. In the end, a Sunday shot decides. That’s bitter for us. We weren’t the worse team,” said a disappointed Péter Gulácsi on Prime Video. “We have nothing left to lose now. We go there and want to play a good game and score the first goal, then everything is open again,” said the goalkeeper.
“We don’t do anything to be afraid”
“We’re certainly not afraid, we’re not afraid of anything,” coach Marco Rose had said in advance. It was already clear before the game that at least Jude Bellingham posed no danger. The English superstar did not make the trip to Leipzig because of an injury to his left ankle. Toni Kroos, whose possible DFB comeback continues to be speculated, was in Real’s starting line-up.
The 2014 world champion was initially challenged primarily defensively, because RB started with a lot of offensive urge – and celebrated early. After a poorly cleared corner, Benjamin Sesko headed the ball into the goal (2nd). The team from Bosnia-Herzegovina decided on offside in the scene and was not corrected by video referee Pol van Boekel from the Netherlands – wrongly. Sesko was clearly not offside and Benjamin Henrichs was uninvolved behind goalkeeper Lunin. “That was a goal that should have been given. I can’t find any arguments,” said Kroos, who was recently so strong, about the situation. It wasn’t the only scene in which Leipzig were angry with referee Irfan Peljto.
“Oh my god Brahim!!!”
Leipzig was not deterred by this. Rose’s team bridged the spaces with quick combinations or long balls and created further chances. Sesko aimed from a slightly tight angle in the penalty area but too centrally (10th). Leipzig stayed on the trigger: Henrichs failed from distance (15th), Sesko (19th) hit the side netting. With a lot of possession, Leipzig managed to barely let Real’s playful strengths develop. When the Spaniards occasionally advanced into the final third, the defense was secure. RB partially defended Real’s Vinicius Junior’s dribbling with three players. The game lost some structure and momentum. Many small fouls disrupted the flow of the game. Real came closest to taking the lead when Rodrygo missed a cross (42′).
Leipzig started the second half just as energetically as the first, but continued to be too imprecise in front of the goal. Brahim Diaz, however, took measures. The attacker did a lot of dribbling and shot the ball into the corner from around 20 meters. Even Bellingham was thrilled. “Oh my god Brahim!!!” he wrote after the goal at X. Leipzig increased the risk and gave Real space for counterattacks. Rodrygo (64th) had the second goal on his feet. Vinicius Junior (72nd) hit the post. But the hosts also remained dangerous. But Sesko failed because of Lunin (81′). Kroos said: “It could have gone either way, let’s be honest.”