Real Madrid secured their spot in the Champions League knockout playoff round with a commanding 5-1 victory over RB Salzburg at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Despite a shaky start to the campaign, which saw the 15-time champions lose three of their first six matches, Madrid delivered a statement performance brimming with energy, flair, and class. Key players like Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, and Vinícius Júnior showcased their brilliance in a dominant display.
Rodrygo set the tone in the 23rd minute, calmly slotting a measured finish into the far corner. Minutes later, the Brazilian winger delivered a moment of magic, latching onto Bellingham’s no-look back-heel to curl a stunning strike past Janis Blaswich.
Early in the second half, Kylian Mbappé added to the scoreline with one of the simplest goals of his career, capitalizing on a mistake by Blaswich to tap into an empty net. Vinícius Júnior then took center stage, scoring twice in style.
For his first, Vinícius sprinted onto Luka Modrić’s perfectly weighted pass, used his quick feet to cut inside the defender, and unleashed a thunderous shot into the far corner. His second came from a blistering counterattack led by Federico Valverde, whose pinpoint assist allowed Vinícius to glide past the goalkeeper and slot home with ease.
The only blemish on Madrid’s performance was conceding a late goal to Mads Bidstrup, denying Thibaut Courtois a clean sheet. Nevertheless, the victory lifted Madrid to 16th in the Champions League table, just one point shy of the top eight.
