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13-time European champions Real Madrid hosted Shakhtar Donetsk in their fourth UEFA Champions League Group D fixture on Wednesday night. Los Blancos overwhelmed Shakhtar in the reverse fixture a fortnight ago, recording an emphatic 5-0 win at NSC Olimpiyskiy.
With the likes of Vinicius Jr. and Karim Benzema firing on all cylinders, Real Madrid started as favorites at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Wednesday. Unsurprisingly, Real Madrid drew first blood on matchday four.
Vinicius Jr.’s high press caught Shakhtar's defense off-guard and saw the hosts win back possession in a dangerous area. The Brazilian youngster effortlessly found Benzema inside the box, who applied the finishing touch to score Real Madrid’s 1000th goal in the competition.
Shakhtar, however, did not back down and came back swinging with a well-deserved equalizer just before the half-time whistle.
Real Madrid took time getting into the groove in the second half, but eventually got the go-ahead goal. Vinicius Jr. and Benzema combined once again to propel Los Blancos ahead for the second time on the night. Shakhtar Donetsk came at the hosts time and again, but just could not find a way through.
The 2-1 win may not mark Real Madrid’s most convincing performance, but some players did stand out. Here are Real Madrid’s top five performers in their 2-1 win against Shakhtar Donetsk in the UEFA Champions League.
#5 Luka Modric
Luka Modric may very well be in the twilight of his career, but he is far from being an afterthought at Real Madrid. On Wednesday against Shakhtar Donetsk, the Real Madrid number 10 was easily one of the team’s standout performers.
The 2018 Ballon d’Or winner combined tirelessly with right-winger Lucas Vazquez all night long and was at the end of two very presentable opportunities. He failed to apply the finishing touch on both occasions. But he more than made up for it with defensive contributions and box-to-box play.
#4 Eder Militao
Real Madrid centre-back Eder Militao was in scintillating form against Shakhtar Donetsk at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday night. The Brazilian put in impressive blocks and read passes expertly, stopping dangerous moves from materializing. Militao covered for Dani Carvajal when the Spaniard joined the attack and stopped Shakhtar from exploiting the right flank.
Militao also drew the most fouls (3) in the match, which helped Real Madrid slow the pace down and regain control. With Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane gone, Real Madrid were in dire need of a dependable centre-back this season. Militao, who added another rock-solid performance under his belt, is slowly emerging as a worthy candidate.
#3 Lucas Vazquez
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has often used Lucas Vazquez as a right-back this season. However, with Dani Carvajal back into the fold, Vazquez finally got the opportunity to take up his natural position on the right-wing.
Thanks to Shakhtar’s attacking tendencies, Vazquez enjoyed plenty of space down the right-hand side, and, for the most part, he made the most of it. He was tireless from start to finish. He combined well with Luka Modric and should have had two assists had the Croat been more clinical. He also swung in a couple of neat crosses, which deserved to meet the back of the net.
#2 Vinicius Jr.
Real Madrid’s 21-year-old left-winger, Vinicius Jr., has been in red hot form since the start of the season. The Brazilian has been influencing play even without registering goals and assists. This shows how much he has grown over the course of the season. Vinicius Jr. came into Wednesday's match on the back of a match-winning brace against Elche, and he picked up right where he left off.
Vinicius Jr. started the first half strongly, storming down the left-hand channel time and again. His pressing was on point and eventually led to Real Madrid’s first goal of the night.
Vincius Jr. sensed an overhit pass by the Shakhtar keeper and pounced on defender Marlon Santos to win the ball. He then fed the ball to Benzema, who converted from point-blank range.
Again in the second half, Vinicius Jr. kicked off a move just outside the box, which ended with him assisting Benzema for his second goal.
#1 Karim Benzema
Real Madrid’s leading goalscorer in all competitions, Karim Benzema, put on another fantastic show for the club’s supporters on Wednesday night. Benzema, who scored a goal in the reverse fixture, scored a match-winning brace on matchday four in the Champions League.
The Frenchman first found himself in the right place at the right time for Vinicius Jr.’s decisive pass in the first half. He applied the finishing touch from close range to put his side ahead.
Benzema continued to drop deep to help Real Madrid build up and eventually found himself in the thick of things. Just past the hour mark, Vinicius Jr. and Casemiro combined to open up a sliver of space inside the area. Benzema intelligently occupied the area and struck firmly to restore Real Madrid’s one-goal cushion.
Before being subbed off for Luka Jovic, Benzema attempted an outrageous volley, which was only a whisker away from the Shakhtar Donetsk goal.
