Real Madrid and the Champions League are a match made in heaven. The Spanish giants have won it a record thirteen times. So, it is no surprise that the Los Blancos started their Champions League season with a commanding 3-0 win over Celtic. Ancelotti’s team was eager to retain and defend their title. The win over Celtic was, however, not an easy one.
Real Madrid vs Celtic
The season opener was a tale of two halves. Celtic was visibly dominant in the first half, mounting consecutive attacks over the Real Madrid backline. They were unlucky not to score, having hit the post several times. Benzema’s injury helped them even further.
Everything was working well for the Scottish Champions. The players followed the game plan to perfection while looking for an opener. However, everything changed in the second half.
Madrid appeared to shed the strain and nervousness after struggling through a few Celtic attacks, and they soon secured the first goal. To confirm that he is the player the squad would be looking for in King Karim’s absence, Vinicius Junior sent a low shot past the goalkeeper after getting at the end of a fantastic pass from Fede Valverde. The combination of the two that led to the goal brought back memories of the goal against Liverpool in the final last season.
Moments later, Eden Hazard drove with the ball on his feet, much like in older times. His pass to Modric led to a classic signature goal by the Croatian. It was Modric’s hundredth appearance in the luxurious competition, and the goal did enough to put the cherry on top.
Real Madrid’s third goal came from the unlikely hero, Eden Hazard. Hazard had an eventful night coming on for Benzema. He was influential in the second goal. After getting at the end of a first-time cross from Carvajal, he did enough to put the game into bed.
The win might not have been an easy one. But that’s the beauty of Real Madrid; they can achieve success out of almost nothing in the Champions League.
