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#3 Hit - Eden Hazard (Real Madrid)
After returning from a long-term injury, Eden Hazard showed great guile and skill on the night, keeping the likes of Milan Skrinar and Achraf Hakimi on their toes throughout. The Belgian international won a penalty early in the game for Real Madrid and duly converted it too, a goal that would certainly do wonders to his confidence.
The 28-year old tested the Inter Milan goalkeeper again at the end of the first half and ended his eighty-odd minutes on the pitch with six dribbles, three shots and one key pass. Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane would certainly take that from the former Chelsea man, with Belgium coach Roberto Mancini keeping a keen eye on proceedings too.
#2 Flop - Arturo Vidal
Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal, often known for his outbursts, was yet again in the centre of controversy, as he was shown two yellow cards in quick succession after arguing with the referee for a penalty in his side's favour. Having blown hot and cold so far in his time in Italy, the needless arguing with referee Anthony Taylor reduced the Nerazzurri to ten men, which proved to be a shot in the arm for Madrid.
With his midfield partner Nicolo Barella looking out of sorts after conceding a penalty early on in the game, Vidal's red card gave Real Madrid the upper hand in midfield, with the visitors enjoying 63% of possession. Vidal's sending off forced the two Inter Milan wing-backs Ashley Young and Achraf Hakimi to be conservative and help out in defending, which explained why Inter Milan had only one shot on the Real Madrid goal all game.
#1 Hit - Toni Kroos (Real Madrid)
The 30-year old seasoned campaigner Toni Kroos, who often operates under the radar in the midst of his star-studden teammates, was a standout performer for Real Madrid in Milan.
In the absence of Casemeiro, Toni Kroos sat in front of the back four and started almost every attack that Los Blancos mounted. He also made two key passes, one of which resulted in Rodrygo's goal (which was later deemed to be an own goal).
The German was not only impressive going forward, but he also showcased his all-round abilities, making timely tackles to keep Inter Milan's forwards at bay. However, the highlight of Toni Kroos' masterclass was his impact in midfield, where he had a staggering passing accuracy of almost 98%.
Real Madrid amassed just short of 800 passes on the night, courtesy Kroos and Luka Modric, in Milan. The two stalwarts showed fans all over that they're not just done yet, and Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane would be mighty pleased with this display from the duo.
