Author: Serg Atrakhov, Barkha Roy
Napoli – Real – 2:3
Real Madrid set the tone for the match by starting strongly, with Vinicius and Bellingham causing havoc in Napoli’s defense. Vinicius, who was playing his second match after a month out through injury, showed remarkable explosiveness and perfectly rekindled his early-season chemistry with Bellingham.
Although Napoli briefly took the lead with a header from Ostigard in the 19th minute, after Real Madrid goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga failed to clear a corner in a crowded six-yard box, the visitors quickly recovered with goals from Vinicius and Bellingham within seven minutes.
Bellingham’s 27th-minute goal was particularly special, as he intercepted a misplaced pass from Napoli defender Giovanni Di Lorenzo outside the box and quickly combined with Vinicius, who expertly curled an angled shot into the far corner.
Bellingham continued to make an impact, putting Real Madrid ahead in the 34th minute with a stunning solo effort. He dodged three Napoli defenders before calmly guiding the ball out of the goalkeeper’s reach and into the bottom left-hand corner.
However, Napoli came back strongly at the start of the second half, leveling the score at 2-2 with Zielinski’s penalty in the 54th minute. The penalty was awarded after a VAR review for a handball by Real Madrid defender Nacho, a controversial decision that led to protests from Real players and coach Carlo Ancelotti. Referee Clement Turpin initially let play continue, claiming that the ball had deflected off Nacho’s boot before coming into contact with his left hand as he approached for a tackle.
With a packed Diego Maradona Stadium, Napoli pressed for victory and came close to scoring, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s goal narrowly missing the target and Arrizabalaga making three crucial saves from Victor Osimhen’s point-blank attempts.
In the final moments of the match, Real Madrid’s veteran midfielder Luka Modric made a significant impact after coming off the bench. He provided a golden opportunity for Bellingham, who unfortunately missed a direct chance from close range in the 75th minute. Just three minutes later, Modric’s corner found the feet of Valverde, whose long-range shot found the back of the net via an unintentional deflection off Meret’s head, ensuring Real Madrid’s dramatic victory.
With this crucial win, Real Madrid currently top Group C with six points from two games, establishing a three-point lead over Napoli and Braga. Union Berlin, on the other hand, remain bottom of the group with no points.
União – Braga – 2:3
In another match in the group, Braga, from Portugal, pulled off a remarkable comeback, claiming victory in injury time. Union Berlin’s Sheraldo Becker was the star of the first half, scoring twice in seven minutes to give the hosts total control of the game. This was Union’s first home match in the Champions League and it was played at Hertha Berlin’s Olympiastadion. The visitors managed to score four minutes before the break. Niacate made amends for an own goal in the first leg of the group stage against Napoli. In the 51st minute, Bruma hit a sensational shot from 20 meters – 2:2.
Becker missed the chance to score a hat-trick and, in the 94th minute, André Castro hit a powerful low shot from outside the area to take Braga to three points. Brazilian goalkeeper Matheus played for the Portuguese, and Vitor Carvalho came on in the 83rd minute. After two games, Real have 6 points, Napoli and Braga have 3 each, and Union have 0.
Inter – Benfica – 1:0
In the Group D match, last tournament’s finalists Inter Milan earned a hard-fought victory at the San Siro. The team’s top scorer, Lautaro Martinez, hit the post twice in the second half. Marcus Thuram scored the only goal in the 62nd minute, taking advantage of a cross from Dumfries. Brazilian Carlos Augusto played the entire match for the hosts, while Morato, Neres and Cabral played for the visitors.
Salzburg – Real Sociedad – 0:2
The Spanish club hasn’t played in the Champions League for 10 years. After scoring against the Austrians in the 7th and 27th minutes, Real won the game comfortably and, after two games, share first place with Inter, gaining 4 points. Salzburg have three and Benfica have 0.