Real Madrid 3-2 Inter Milan
Real Madrid beat Inter Milan in tonight’s Group B match thanks to a late Rodrygo goal after the Italians had fought back from a 2-0 deficit.
The 13-time Champions League winners are at odds of 17.00 to make it 14 triumphs this term, according to the latest Champions League 2020 betting odds here at SBOTOP. And tonight, the way Zinedine Zidane’s side withstood the Italian charge before striking at the death, they will always be one of the favourites.
Highlights of the game
In an action-packed first half Real Madrid came out on the front foot, and when Eden Hazard carved out a chance for Marco Asensio, he forced a save from Samir Handanovic, and then Federico Valverde took aim from outside the penalty area and his shot flew inches over. Inter hit back through former Barcelona man Arturo Vidal who fired a long-range effort just wide of the post, but Los Blancos struck a blow on 25 minutes.
Karim Benzema scored the first of two late goals which sparked Real Madrid’s comeback against Borussia Monchengladbach last week, and it was Real’s main man who fired the hosts ahead tonight, finding the bottom left corner of Handanovic’s net from the left edge of the penalty area. The Inter keeper will have been disappointed to be beaten at his near post and by the space, Benzema was afforded to unleash his shot.
And before Inter could recover Los Blancos doubled their lead. Handanovic saved a fizzing shot from Toni Kroos and from the resulting corner Sergio Ramos headed home the second. At 2-0 up with 33 minutes on the clock the hosts were cruising, but Inter’s Argentine hitman Lautaro Martinez had different ideas when he slotted past Thibaut Courtois to half the deficit just two minutes later.
Vidal signalled half time when he scythed into Lucas Vazquez to earn a yellow card. Before the game, Inter coach Antonio Conte promised his side would try to impose themselves on Los Blancos and in the last ten minutes of the half they certainly had.
The Nerazzurri started the second half in the same mood and Ashley Young had a shot charged down before Ivan Perisic had his effort blocked. But the Italians plugged away and with a quarter of the game left they drew level. Martinez guided a header into the path of Perisic and he fired a left-foot shot low into the right-hand corner giving Courtois no chance.
There were chances at each end as both teams went for the victory and it was Real, on 80 minutes, who struck the decisive blow when Rodrygo fired home the winner.
Key statistics
This was a game both teams desperately wanted to win and the first half was a great watch. Los Blancos deserved their lead with more possession and more shots at six to four, and four to two on target.
Inter fought back and a 12-12 shot count tells the story of a ding dong battle, but with seven to three on target, Los Blancos were the more incisive.
It was always going to be a tough game against an Inter side which arrived unbeaten in 11 away matches.
What’s next?
Before a ball was kicked, both teams were fancied to progress from Group B, Real at 2.35 to win the group and Inter at 2.95, despite neither team winning either of their first two games. And earlier in the evening, tonight’s Champions League 2020 results threw up a big result as Borussia Monchengladbach headed to Ukraine and destroyed Shakhtar Donetsk 0-6 to go top of the group on five points. With three more rounds it’s all to play for and when the competition resumes on 25th November, I Nerazzurri and Real Madrid meet again at the San Siro.
But before that they return to domestic matters. Los Blancos briefly returned to the summit of La Liga last weekend, until Real Sociedad reclaimed the top place with an impressive 1-4 victory away to Celta Vigo. On Sunday Zinedine Zidane takes his team to the Mestalla where they meet Valencia. Their hosts will be hoping to improve on a modest start having earned eight points from eight games, a tally that has left them in 13th place.
In Serie A‘s game of the weekend, Inter have a difficult trip away to Atalanta. Conte’s team are a point and two places behind their opponents, who are scoring for fun and sit in fourth, having won four of their six games so far.
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