Real Madrid vs. RB Leipzig result: Valverde, Asensio rescue La Liga champions who remain perfect

Simon Borg

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Real Madrid vs. RB Leipzig result: Valverde, Asensio rescue La Liga champions who remain perfect image

As they always do, Real Madrid found a way in the end. The defending Champions League holders created little against RB Leipzig and were lucky not to fall behind at home, only for two late goals to bail them out as they continued their perfect start to the 2022/23 season with a 2-0 win.

After winning 3-0 at Celtic Park on Matchday 1, Real Madrid sit top of their group on maximum points. They've now won all eight matches they've played in 2022/23 on three different competitive fronts, including two in the Champions League, five in La Liga, and the UEFA Super Cup in August.

But Wednesday's match was difficult from the start as an organized RB Leipzig side did not allow much room for Real Madrid to run through and combine. And without injured captain and top scorer Karim Benzema, Los Blancos never got into an attacking rhythm.

Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr. rarely had a chance to stretch his legs on a full sprint, Rodrygo filling in at center forward was unable to combine like Benzema does so well, and the closest the hosts came to a goal was a penalty appeal by Luka Modric who was barreled over from behind in the box.

As the minutes wore on, Real Madrid grew increasingly frustrated, listless, and even passive in front of their home fans.

Meanwhile, on the other end of the field, the German club had its handful of chances to take the lead in the first half. But poor finishing and Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois prevented them from getting a goal.

Leipzig danger man Christopher Nkunku was especially active: He had one shot blocked on a quick transition, he missed connecting on another cross in the six-yard box, and then he went down in the box between two defenders wanting a penalty he didn't get.

Real Madrid didn't improve much in the second half and looked destined to drop points. But an individual effort from Fede Valverde 10 minutes from time — using his weaker left foot — provided the breakthrough they needed. 

Then Real Madrid substitute Marco Asensio secured the result in stoppage time as Los Merengues continue to march on victoriously despite playing their worst match of the season.

MORE: 2022/23 Champions League group stage standings & schedule

Real miss Benzema, as Rodrygo disappoints at striker

Rodrygo typically plays on the wing, usually in a wide right position, from where he can sneak up to finish plays and run into the box at speed. 

As Benzema's replacement at center forward, he was now in a situation where he had to try to serve as the catalyst and jumpstart the attack. But his passing was off, and he could never connect with compatriot Vinicius to create any meaningful danger.

Credit RB Leipzig for closing off the passing lanes in the final third and prevent the quick combinations in the attack. Real Madrid showed their limitations without their captain, who's the one usually creating havoc with his vision and dribbling. His replacements at center forward simply don't have that same skill set. Vinicius and Rodrygo need someone to play off (i.e. Benzema), and they need to be running into space to be dangerous. That wasn't easy to do on this day.

Carlo Ancelotti has admitted it in recent days and weeks: Benzema is simply irreplaceable.

Leipzig deserved better

In Marco Rose's second match in charge, it was another strong performance from RB Leipzig, who have clearly responded to the change of manager. After a 3-0 Bundesliga win over Borussia Dortmund on the weekend, they showed personality at the Bernabeu from the opening whistle, taking the crowd out of the match in Real Madrid's first Champions League home date since ousting Manchester City in last season's semis.

Leipzig were comfortable and played within themselves, looking the most likely to score for most of the match. Timo Werner put in a strong shift and played the role of provider on the day, but Christopher Nkunku simply had an off-day in the finishing department. In last season's tournament, the Frenchman was deadly on chances like the ones he was presented in the first half. It didn't happen for him at the Bernabeu.

Controversy: Asensio, Modric penalty shout, & Bernabeu field

The Spanish media will have plenty to seek their teeth into after the final whistle even if the scoreline saw Real Madrid win again. The Luka Modric incident in the box, where he was clearly bumped from behind by a reckless Xaver Schlager at 0-0 might have been labeled a scandal had Real Madrid not found a way to win the game. 

The field conditions at the Bernabeu were another talking point. The rough surface contributed to the occasional attacking breakdown and a report by Cadena SER indicates the club will be changing the grass surface during the upcoming September international window.

However, the field did not prevent Marco Asensio from converting his team's second goal, taking a Toni Kroos corner and placing it into the right corner on an exquisite first-time shot. It's the type of talent that he feels should see him earn more minutes for the European champions.

Asensio, whose contract expires in June 2023, made a show of his frustrations in the weekend's match against Mallorca and the Bernabeu let him know they didn't appreciate it when he subbed into the match with about 30 minutes remaining. But he won back the crowd with his goal, and Ancelotti may have found a way to push the right buttons with the 26-year-old Spain international after playing him only 17 minutes in the previous seven matches of the season.

Real Madrid vs. RB Leipzig final score

  1H 2H Final
Real Madrid 0 2 2
RB Leipzig 0 0 0

Goals:
RMA — Fede Valverde (Vinicius) — 80th min.
RMA — Marco Asensio (Toni Kroos) — 91st min.

Real Madrid vs. RB Leipzig live updates, highlights from Champions League

Final: Real Madrid 2, RB Leipzig 0

91st min.: Goal Real Madrid! Toni Kroos with the corner kick to the top of the box where Marco Asensio's cultured left foot places it into the top right corner for the goal that will secure all three points for Real Madrid.

86th min.: SUBS Real Madrid & Leipzig. Minutes after Ferland Mendy came on for David Alaba at left back, and Toni Kroos entered for Luka Modric, Dani Ceballos (for Vinicius) and Mariano Diaz (for Rodrygo) are also in the match.

Meanwhile, RB Leipzig bring on their two forwards off the bench: Andre Silva and Yussuf Poulsen.

80th min.: Real Madrid goal! Fede Valverde gets the ball at the top of the box, fakes a shot, puts it on his left and curls it home. Real Madrid, as they so often do, have come through with a goal. Subs are coming.

75th min.: SUBS Leipzig. Henrichs on for Simakan at right back, while Kampl replaces Haidara in midfield. Haidara had picked up a yellow card for a hand to the face of Vinicius as he defended the ball from him.

73rd min.: Real Madrid chance. It's Rodrygo, Valverde and Vinicius combining, but Leipzig's 'keeper thwarts the chance and Marco Asensio can't put the loose ball on target. At least it's some promise for the home crowd.

64th min.: SUB Real Madrid. Marco Asensio on for an uninspired Eduardo Camavinga and Asensio will go wide right with Fede Valverde retreating into midfield.

62nd min.: Awful free kick from Real Madrid. Rodrygo takes it with no conviction and it finishes five metres over the bar. That sums up Real Madrid's night and changes are coming.

57th min.: Better start from Real Madrid who have a tad more urgency but still no end product. Real Madrid are getting frustrated and it shows when Rodrygo and Simakan go nose-to-nose at one point. These are the moments when Real Madrid are missing their injured captain Karim Benzema, who can take over a match.

46th min.: Second half is underway. No changes.

Halftime: Real Madrid 0, RB Leipzig 0

Halftime: Real Madrid are not themselves and they're about to get a talking to from manager Carlo Ancelotti. The defending champions were sleepwalking through that first half and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was the only one who was alert. With a little more luck, Leipzig could've had the lead. We'll see if Madrid can turn up the intensity in the second half.

43rd min.: Real Madrid penalty shout! But it wasn't given! Italian referee Maurizio Mariani looks the other way despite the fact that Schlager clatters into the back of Luka Modric in the Leipzig box. The referee may have felt he went down too easily.

38th min.: Of course, the best Real Madrid chance is a header by Antonio Rudiger that isn't clean enough to trouble Leipzig's 'keeper.

34th min.: Leipzig chance. The visitors should've taken the lead. Madrid are lifeless, and Timo Werner just waltzes through the backline and delivers a cross into the six-yard box that a sliding Nkunku can't reach. Madrid are lucky not to be down at home.

28th min.: Leipzig chance ... again! In the space between the lines Timo Werner scoops the ball ahead to Nkunku who pokes the ball off charging goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. This has not been a characteristic Madrid performance.

20th min.: Leipzig chance. This one also comes in transition and Timo Werner tees up Emil Forsberg, but he can't get the shot on target from the top of the box. He could've done better there.

Real Madrid are not taking many risks, and Leipzig are organized on defense. It's a perfect start for the German side and the record Champions League winners are frustrated.

10th min.: Leipzig chance. Nkunku again dangerous and he goes down in the Madrid box, sandwiched by Dani Carvajal and Nacho. No whistle from the referee. It wasn't so clear-cut on the replay. Probably a good no-call.

10th min.: Real Madrid has had a quiet start. Then again it doesn't look like the field conditions are helping much.

5th min.: Chance Leipzig! Nkunku runs onto a pass straight through the middle of the Madrid defense, but Thibaut Courtois is ready to stop the shot, conceding a corner. Nothing comes of it.

1st min.: We're off. Leipzig get us started. Real Madrid in white, Leipzig in black.

5 minutes to kickoff: Teams are on the field and the Champions League hymn is filling the Bernabeu.

30 minutes to kickoff: It's all about the little details:

30 minutes to kickoff: Luka Modric is starting to set or tie all the "oldest player to ..." records.

1 hour to kickoff: It's Germany vs. Spain, Part 3 in this Champions League. Not many are predicting a clean sweep for the Bundesliga sides.

Real Madrid vs. RB Leipzig lineups, team news

Carlo Ancelotti will have to do without Karim Benzema, Lucas Vazquez, and center-back Eder Militao, who's back in training, but won't be risked with the Madrid derby on tap this Sunday in La Liga. Right-back Alvaro Odriozola is available off the bench after a lengthy spell on the sidelines, while Rodrygo gets the start over Eden Hazard after the former outplayed the latter with a goal and assist last weekend against Mallorca. Nacho will wear the captain's armband.

Real Madrid starting lineup (4-3-3, right to left): 1-Courtois (GK) — 2-Carvajal, 22-Rudiger, 6-Nacho, 4-Alaba — 10-Modric, 18-Tchouameni, 12-Camavinga — 15-Valverde, 21-Rodrygo, 20-Vinicius Jr.

Real Madrid subs (10): 13-Lunin (GK), 26-Lopez (GK), 16-Odriozola, 5-Vallejo, 23-Mendy, 8-Kroos, 19-Ceballos, 11-Asensio, 7-Hazard, 24-Mariano

Leipzig manager Marco Rose has a handful of key injury absences, chief among them being playmaker Dani Olmo (knee ligament injury), defender Lukas Klostermann (ankle injury in first match of the Bundesliga season), and now key midfield dynamo Konrad Laimer (left ankle ligaments), who picked up his injury over the weekend. At least forward Yussuf Poulsen was back on the bench last weekend and is available again.

RB Leipzig starting lineup (4-2-3-1, right to left): 1-Gulacsi (GK) — 2-Simakan, 4-Orban, 37-Diallo, 22-Raum — 8-Haidara, 24-Schlager — 18-Nkunku, 10-Forsberg, 17-Szoboszlai — 11-Werner

RB Leipzig subs (8): 21-Blaswich (GK), 32-Gvardiol, 23-Halstenberg, 39-Henrichs, 44-Kampl, 38-Novoa Ramos, 9-Poulsen, 19-Silva,

Real Madrid vs. RB Leipzig TV channel, live stream

  Date Time TV Channel Streaming
Australia Thu, Sept. 15 05:00 AEST  — Stan Sport
Canada Wed, Sept. 14 15:00 ET  — DAZN
Hong Kong Thu, Sept. 15 03:00 HKST beIN Sports 5 beIN Sports Connect
India Thu, Sept. 15 00:30 IST  Sony Six JioTV, Sony LIV
Malaysia Thu, Sept. 15 03:00 MT  — beIN Sports Connect
New Zealand Thu, Sept. 15 07:00 NZST  — Spark Sport
Singapore Thu, Sept. 15 03:00 SST  — beIN Sports Connect
UK Wed, Sept. 14 20:00 BST BT Sport 4 BT Sport site/app
USA Wed, Sept. 14 15:00 ET UniMas, TUDN fuboTV, Paramount+, ViX+

UK: The Champions League group stage match between Real Madrid and RB Leipzig will be televised on BT Sport 4, and it can be streamed on both the BT Sport app and website.

USA: In the United States, the match from the Bernabeu will be televised on UniMas and TUDN, two channels that are both streamed on fuboTV. The match will also be streamed in English on CBS's subscription-based platform Paramount+ and on the Univision Spanish-language streaming service ViX+.

Canada: Every Champions League match all season long is streamed in Canada via DAZN.

Australia: Every Champions League match all season long is streamed in Australia via Stan Sport.

Simon Borg

Simon Borg Photo

Simon Borg is a senior editor at The Sporting News who has covered football/soccer for over a decade. A supporter of Italian club Parma Calcio from his years growing up in Europe, he was previously a long-time member of Major League Soccer's digital media team, as a multimedia content producer, on-air personality, and Editor-in-Chief. Based in New York City, Borg is multilingual and has covered the domestic and global scene for TSN since 2021.