Real Madrid 5-1 RB Salzburg: Los Blancos crush Salzburg in dominant Champions League display

Holders Real Madrid delivered a commanding 5-1 victory over RB Salzburg in their Champions League clash on Wednesday, powered by Brazilian stars Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr, who each scored twice, along with a goal from Kylian Mbappe.

Salzburg started strong, using a high press to disrupt Real’s rhythm early on. However, the Spanish giants gradually seized control, with standout performances from Rodrygo, Vinicius Jr, and England midfielder Jude Bellingham.

The breakthrough came in the 23rd minute when Vinicius led a quick counterattack, delivering a precise pass intended for Bellingham. Although Bellingham failed to control it, Rodrygo reacted swiftly, slotting the ball into the bottom-right corner.

Rodrygo doubled the lead in the 34th minute with a curling strike inside the box after a slick one-two with Bellingham, who assisted with a brilliant back-heel flick.

Shortly after halftime, Kylian Mbappe punished a critical mistake by Salzburg goalkeeper Janis Blaswich, who misjudged a dribble, allowing the French striker to tap in Real’s third goal in the 48th minute.

With victory all but secured, Vinicius put on a dazzling display in the second half. In the 55th minute, he latched onto a pinpoint long ball from Luka Modric, sprinted past one defender, cut inside another, and unleashed an unstoppable shot into the top corner.

The Brazilian added his second in the 77th minute, finishing off a counterattack with a composed run through Salzburg’s defense before wrong-footing the goalkeeper.

Salzburg’s Mads Bidstrup scored a consolation goal in the 85th minute, but the damage was already done.

After a rocky start to their title defense, losing three of their first five matches, Real Madrid now sit 16th in the standings with 12 points. While they’ve secured qualification for the next round, they must win their final group-stage match against Brest and rely on other results to break into the top eight and avoid a playoff.

Rodrygo reflected on the victory in a post-match interview with Movistar Plus:
"A very important day for us. A win that gives us a lot of confidence going forward. Sometimes we go through difficult times. We work hard not to, but it's not always easy. This season we are failing a bit in games that we can't fail."

Salzburg’s campaign is over, as they sit 34th in the standings with just three points from seven matches.

SportsLigue