Real Madrid 4-1 RB Leipzig: Diomande stunner caps win over old club

Yan Diomande scored a stunning late volley against his former club as Real Madrid beat RB Leipzig 4-1 at the Bernabéu on Wednesday to keep their perfect start in the Champions League. Bernardo Silva opened the scoring with his first goal for the club, Arda Güler added a second after the break, and Kylian Mbappé curled in his 12th goal of the season before Tidiam Gomis pulled one back for the visitors.

Match facts

• Result: Real Madrid 4-1 RB Leipzig (half-time 1-0)
• Competition: UEFA Champions League, League Phase, Matchday 3
• Venue: Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid
• Scorers: Real Madrid - Bernardo Silva 44', Arda Güler 52', Mbappé 83', Diomande 87'; RB Leipzig - Gomis 85'
• Assists: Real Madrid - Mbappé (52'), Diomande (83'), Brahim Díaz (87'); RB Leipzig - Christoph Baumgartner (85')
• Red cards: None
• Next: Barcelona v Real Madrid (La Liga), Sunday 25 October, 20:00 UK; RB Leipzig v SV Elversberg (Bundesliga), Saturday 24 October; AEK Athens v Real Madrid (17:45 UK) and RB Leipzig v Manchester City (20:00 UK) in the Champions League, Wednesday 4 November

How the match unfolded

Leipzig looked the more dangerous side for much of the first half after the 20:00 UK kick-off, and Thibaut Courtois kept José Mourinho's team level. He saved from Rômulo inside the box in the 28th minute, and Maarten Vandevoordt answered at the other end a minute later by stopping a Vinícius Júnior effort. Courtois then denied Christopher Nkunku in the 41st minute after a David Raum through ball.

Madrid went ahead in the 44th minute. Federico Valverde cut the ball back for Güler, Vandevoordt could not hold his shot, and Bernardo Silva, a summer signing from Manchester City, forced the loose ball over the line from close range.

Vandevoordt pushed a stinging Valverde shot wide early in the second half, but Madrid doubled the lead in the 52nd minute. Jude Bellingham crossed, Mbappé headed the ball back across goal, and Güler poked it in from close range before Raum could clear. It was the Turkey midfielder's second goal in as many games.

Álvaro Carreras and Leipzig substitute Rocco Reitz were booked in the 68th and 70th minutes, the only cards of the night. Mourinho sent on Diomande for Vinícius and Marc Cucurella for Carreras in the 70th minute.

Mbappé made it 3-0 in the 83rd minute, curling a right-footed shot into the top corner from the edge of the area after Diomande's pass. Gomis, on as a substitute, finished a neat move set up by Christoph Baumgartner two minutes later, but Diomande restored the three-goal margin almost at once. Brahim Díaz found him on the left side of the box and he volleyed into the top left corner. Substitute Carlos Espí hit the post in the 89th minute.

What it means

Real Madrid have nine points from three league-phase games, after a 2-1 home win over Inter and a 4-3 comeback win at Roma last week. They had 64% of the ball and 18 shots to Leipzig's 11. Mbappé was named UEFA's player of the match in front of 73,016 fans.

Leipzig stay on three points after losing 4-1 at Como and beating PSV 1-0 at home. Martín Demichelis's side were made to pay for missing their first-half chances.

What's next

Madrid now travel to Barcelona for Sunday's Clásico, six points behind the La Liga leaders after beating Sevilla 4-1 at the weekend. They are set to be without Vinícius, whose four-match La Liga ban was upheld on appeal.

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