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Real Madrid defeated Celtic 3-0 in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, September 6.
Celtic hosted the defending champions in Glasgow in their opening game of Group F. They made their appearance in the Champions League following a five-year hiatus, during which they struggled in the Europa League. Madrid, on the other hand, produced knockout football magic as they went on to lift their 14th title in the competition last season.
Celtic coach Ange Postecoglu was optimistic of his side's chances prior to kick-off, waving away questions about 'lowering expectations.' He said:
"I'm glad our fans are buzzing about it. I've got no problem with that."
As expected, Real Madrid played with the confidence of champions right from the first whistle. Luka Modric, Daniel Carvajal and Aurelien Tchouameni all made positive starts as they passed the ball with intent.
However, Celtic were no pushovers as their confidence grew with every passing minute. They had four shots, with two on target compared to one shot off target by Madrid halfway into the first period.
Celtic Park was as loud as ever as their team surprisingly created some of the best openings in the first period. Thibaut Courtois looked up to the task in goal as he did well to make some good stops early in the game. David Alaba and Eder Militao made a nervy start, but were covered well by their midfielders and goalkeeper.
Josip Juranovic and Callum McGregor made good starts for Celtic as they played fearless football in the first period. Jota also made a good start, nearly providing an assist for a goal by Matt O'Riley. Vinicius Junior, too, came close but was denied by Joe Hart. Celtic and Real Madrid went into the break deadlocked at 0-0.
Carlo Ancelotti decided to bring Antonio Rudiger on for Eder Militao for the second half. After a slow start in front of goal, he was eager for his side to break the deadlock. However, Celtic, too, made a change and brought pacey striker Daizen Maeda on. He had a brilliant chance to snatch the lead early on but failed to do so.
Real Madrid failed to create big chances but burst into life around the hour mark. They took the lead via Vinicius following a brilliant move that culminated in Federico Valverde playing the final ball. Los Blancos doubled their lead just four minutes later as Eden Hazard provided an assist for Luka Modric to score from.
They added a third goal after 77 minutes which all but killed the game and secured the win. Daniel Carvajal played the ball across goal for Eden Hazard to tap-in to make it 3-0. Real Madrid held on as they began their defense of the UCL title with a win. That said, let's take a look at how their players performed.
Real Madrid Player Ratings
Thibaut Courtois - 8/10
Courtois looked sharp between the sticks as he stayed alert and made some crucial stops early in the game. He made four saves and two punches as he opened his UCL campaign with a clean sheet.
Daniel Carvajal - 8/10
Carvajal made a strong start and looked sharp right from kick-off. He provided an assist for his side's third goal with a squared pass straight into Hazard's feet.
Eder Militao - 7/10
Militao made a decent start to the game but had a few nervy moments in the first period. He made five clearances, blocked one shot and made one interception. Militao had 50 touches of the ball and passed it with 95% accuracy. He was subbed off at half-time.
David Alaba - 6.5/10
Alaba was caught off-guard a couple of times as Celtic dominated the early exchanges of the game. Despite a relatively average game, his performance was masked by their second-half turnaround.
Ferland Mendy - 6.5/10
Mendy made a frantic start to the game and was booked early on, putting Real Madrid under some pressure. Overall he had a decent game.
Luka Modric - 7.5/10
Modric played well in midfield and helped Real Madrid keep possession of the ball for longer spells of time. He scored with a good finish to make it 2-0 for his side after 60 minutes. He also played three long balls and won three of his five duels.
Aurelien Tchouameni - 6.5/10
Tchouameni looks to be a natural replacement for Casemiro, who departed for Manchester United last month. He passed the ball with 90% accuracy including one long ball. He was subbed off in the second half.
Toni Kroos - 8/10
Kroos was the chief distributor of the ball for Real Madrid. He passed the ball with 96% accuracy, including one key pass and a jaw-dropping 17 long balls with 100% accuracy. He also won three of his four duels.
Federico Valverde - 7.5/10
Valverde was often too wide and isolated in the first half to make an impact on the game. However, his width proved useful in the second period as he provided a wonderful assist for his side's opener.
Karim Benzema - 6/10
Benzema made a decent start to the game but was forced off after half an hour following what looked to be an injury. He had 18 touches of the ball and played one key pass.
Vinicius Junior - 7.5/10
Vinicius did well to carry the ball and take on Celtic's defenders. He put in a lot of effort on the wing in the first half. His dedication bore fruit in the second period as he scored the opening goal for Real Madrid.
Substitutes
Eden Hazard - 7.5/10
Eden Hazard replaced Benzema at the half-hour mark. He provided an assist for Real Madrid's second goal. He then scored one for himself to seal all three points.
Antonio Rudiger - 7/10
Rudiger's introduction changed the course of Real Madrid's build-up play as he added some much-needed fluidity and quickness.
Eduardo Camavinga - 7/10
Camavinga came on late in the second half and performed well.
Rodrygo & Marco Asensio - N/A
They came on at the 80-minute mark when Real Madrid were already up 3-0 and were content to knock the ball around.
