UEFA Champions League 2018-19: The best goals from Match Day 1

#5 Mariano Diaz

Mariano Diaz celebrating his beauty of a goal

The new Real Madrid No 7 has a mammoth task of keeping the glory of the jersey that has been worn by legends of the game. Eric Cantona, George Best, Robert Pires are some notable names. While Luis Figo, Raul, and Cristiano Ronaldo wore the No. 7 with Real Madrid’s crest on it. Inheriting the jersey from Cristiano Ronaldo is no easy task.

Mariano Diaz though doesn’t seem to be under any pressure. He is playing around great players like Marcelo and Luka Modric who will help him reach his potential. Julen Lopetegui didn’t trust Mariano with a starting place, though he substituted him when the game was well and truly over.

Mariano replaced Gareth Bale in the 73rd minute but didn’t make any significant contributions to the victory. His big moment came in the 91st minute.

Marcelo strides forward with the ball and passed it onto Mariano Diaz who was in front. Mariano pretended to go for a dribble and made Manolas go in the forward direction. When Manolas took a step forward, Diaz changed course and went parallel to the box. Having beaten Manolas out of position, Diaz had a look at the open goal and with pure finesse, curved it into the top left corner of the goal. Out of the keeper’s reach.

Mariano’s goal is 5th on our list, because he had a more direct path to shoot, with no defender blocking the view and the angle just right to shoot. Lopetegui approved the goal with his clap.