After a rocky start to their Champions League campaign, losing three of their first six matches, Real Madrid found their stride with a commanding win over Red Bull Salzburg. A first-half brace from Rodrygo set the tone before Kylian Mbappé and VinÃcius Jr., who reached a remarkable milestone of 101 goals for the club, added to the tally after the break. VinÃcius’ contributions included two second-half goals, bringing his Champions League total this season to seven in six matches.
This emphatic victory, combined with other results, secured Madrid at least a play-off spot. They are now just one point shy of the automatic qualification places, with a crucial visit to Brest awaiting them on the final matchday.
Salzburg, on the other hand, saw their Champions League hopes evaporate. A consolation goal—a late volley from Mads Bidstrup—was not enough to salvage their campaign, as the Austrian side bowed out after losing six of their seven league-phase matches. They had needed a win and favorable results elsewhere to keep their play-off dreams alive but fell short after a promising start at the Santiago Bernabéu. Oscar Gloukh came close early on with a narrowly missed shot from 18 yards, but Salzburg couldn’t sustain the pressure.
Madrid took control in the 23rd minute with their first meaningful attack. A flowing move from back to front saw Jude Bellingham nod down VinÃcius’ lofted ball, setting up Rodrygo for a precise angled volley. The Brazilian doubled Madrid’s lead before halftime, finishing a slick one-two with Bellingham, who provided the return pass with a clever backheel.
The second half began with more dominance from Madrid. Just three minutes in, Mbappé capitalized on a critical error by Salzburg’s goalkeeper Janis Blaswich, stealing the ball in the six-yard box and tapping it in. VinÃcius added Madrid’s fourth with a stunning curling effort after a pinpoint Luka Modrić pass, and later completed the rout with a composed finish following a brilliant passing sequence starting from Thibaut Courtois.
Champions Rediscover Their Touch
After a shaky league phase, the reigning champions faced the looming threat of elimination if they failed to win. But Salzburg, struggling with one win in seven games and conceding 22 goals, proved ideal opposition. The Austrian side, in the midst of their Bundesliga winter break, showed early promise under new manager Thomas Letsch but were ultimately outclassed by Madrid’s superior quality.
The victory comes as a relief for Carlo Ancelotti, who has faced mounting pressure this season due to inconsistent performances, including a 3-1 loss to Milan in their previous home Champions League match. Wednesday’s result ensured Madrid avoided consecutive European home defeats for the first time since 2018-19 and signaled a resurgence in their form.
Rodrygo, often overshadowed by his star-studded teammates, once again demonstrated his knack for delivering in big moments. Meanwhile, Mbappé, finding his rhythm after a slow start at Madrid, reached an impressive milestone with 75 Champions League goal involvements, joining an elite group of players. With their frontline firing, Madrid look poised to reassert their dominance in Europe.
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