Real Madrid extended their excellent recent run of form after seeing off Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabéu tonight to record a ninth consecutive win and a third straight clean sheet. That was another Champions League win for Real Madrid that closes the group stage with 15 points and confirms the great moment that is passing. This win gets even more confidence to the team looking at the level of the opponent.
Toni Kroos broke the deadlock with a fine strike in the 17th minute to set the hosts on their way in a first half in which the two sides traded blows. Another sumptuous left-footed effort from Marco Asensio on 79’ sealed the win for Carlo Ancelotti’s men, who take their place in Monday’s last-16 draw as group winners.
Real Madrid needed just a point to win the group, but the team weren’t in any mood to chance things and came close to hitting the front with barely two minutes on the clock following an outstanding piece of individual play from Vini Jr., whose effort from inside the box struck Škriniar and flashed narrowly past the upright.
Inter Milan’s riposte came five minutes later, when Brozović’s effort from range sailed over the bar. Madrid made the breakthrough 10 minutes later courtesy of a Kroos piledriver. The German picked the ball up on the edge of the area and fired home a thunderous shot that flew into the far corner. Real Madrid was able to find the goal even why Inter was playing closer to Real’s zone and was controlling the game more.
Inter hadn’t conceded a single goal in their last three games prior to Tuesday night but after that moment had to score at least two themselves if they were to qualify as group leaders. They had a fine chance to level as the half-an-hour mark ticked around, when Çalhanoğlu whipped a corner into Perišić at the front post, but the forward’s header ended up in the side-netting.
From that point until the break, Real Madrid increased their game level and tried to do more. The White team could have extended their lead when Jović raced through one-on-one with the goalkeeper with 36 minutes gone, before Rodrygo rattled the post on the stroke of half-time.
The intense pace of the game showed no let-up as the teams returned from the dressing rooms and chances continued to flow. Barella had only Courtois to beat with 48 on the clock but his strike flew over the crossbar. The midfielder was back in the thick of the action again 16 minutes later, when he was given his marching orders for aiming a punch at Militão.
Making the most of their numerical advantage, Ancelotti’s side began to assert their dominance on the game, and Rodrygo came close to reflecting their dominance on the scoreboard but his rasping drive across goal was impressively kept out by the outstretched Handanovic on 70’.
The Inter Milan shot-stopper was unable to repeat his heroics nine minutes later though, when Asensio received the ball on the edge of the box, looked up and whipped a sublime left-footed shot in off the post. From that moment everything looked finished and Inter were totally unable to try for more since they were also left in ten before the second goal.
The match between the favorites of the group was a tough match and had everything in it. Ancelotti’s men were more accurate and showed more experience on the green pitch and that made the difference. In a game where high intensity, beautiful and rhythmic game, nerves and tough battles were common surely made the public cheer up and enjoy. Real Madrid finishes top of their group and will now wait to discover their opponents in the Champions League round of 16.
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