By Ross Bray
An intriguing tie at the Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium where Zinedine Zidane’s Real Madrid and Antonio Conte’s Inter face off. Both teams have had a questionable start to the campaign, with both striving for their first victory in the Champions League this season.
Real will want Eden Hazard to prove to the world why they paid his hefty price tag to take him away from London, as he takes on his former manager. Conte, without an injured Romelu Lukaku, will be relying on Argentine Lautaro Martinez to fire in the goals for the Nerazzuri. Ross Bray reports.
LINEUPS:
KICK OFF!
1′ – Inter starting with the fair share of possession as Ashley Young and Lucas Vazquez tangle down near the corner flag.
4′ – Great Save – Lautaro Martinez’s loose touch presented Real’s first opportunity of the game as Toni Kroos and Eden Hazard combine down the left hand side as Hazard picks out Marco Asensio who’s left foot effort is tipped over by Samir Handanovic.
6′ – Real starting on top as Vazquez down the right squares the ball into a dangerous area but no Real players got near it, cleared comfortably.
7′ – Over – Inter have started very deep allowing Real to get hold of the ball. This time Valverde picks the ball up 25 yards out with a speculative effort that flies inches over the bar.
9′ – Great opportunity for Inter as Hakimi breaks down the right and whips a ball into the box and Perisic cuts back to Nico Barella whose looping header hits the bar.
10′ – Perisic finds Martinez in space in the box but his low shot is saved well by Courtois.
13′ – Kroos’ long range attempt saved comfortably by Handanovic.
14′ – Superb start to the game as Vidal for Inter now has an attempt. Martinez finds Vidal striving forward as his right footed effort scrapes the outside of the net.
17′ – Foul – Vidal catches Varane in the middle of the park. Lots of challenges so far as the pace of the game continues to pick up.
18′ – Confident play by Inter as they calmly play out from the back and eventually Vidal whips it out to Young as both teams strive for an opener.
22′ – Handanovic with a hesitant claim of the ball as a spell of Real Madrid possession leads to Asensio cutting inside on his trusted left foot whipping a ball into the six yard box. Handanovic collects.
23′ – Great Chance for Real Madrid as a looping ball in from the right into Benzema who cleverly feathers the ball down with his head to Valverde in the eighteen yard box but fires it over.
25′ – GOAL – Real Madrid 1 – 0 Inter Milan (Karim Benzema)
Calamitous moment for Inter as Hakimi’s attempted back pass is too short for Handanovic. Credit to Benzema as he chases it down and picks it up outside the box and calmly controls it around Handanovic and slots it into the empty net.
Embed from Getty Images30′ – Zidane will be happy with the approach of his team this first half an hour. They have pressed and forced mistakes out of Inter which has lead to the first goal. He will be desperate for a win after two disappointing results so far.
31′ – Varane makes a fantastic interception on the edge of the box after Inter looked to threat Courtois.
33′ – Hazard had his first opportunity to run at the Inter back line as he just over plays it. Wins a corner though.
34′ – GOAL – Real Madrid 2 – 0 Inter Milan (Sergio Ramos)
Cracking header from Ramos as the resulting corner leads to Real’s second. Kroos swings in a corner and a strong header from Ramos into the bottom right corner doubles their lead.
35′ – GOAL – Real Madrid 2 – 1 Inter Milan (Latauro Martinez)
Game on with an amazing goal by Inter as a cute flick by Barella finds Martinez in the box and his low finish evades Courtois. Before you know it Conte’s men are back in it.
38′ – Courtois comes charging out of his goal to intercept a long ball over the top. He successfully reaches it levitating the pressure from Inter.
44′ – Yellow Card – Vidal with a very poor challenge as he lunges into a tackle and no where near the ball. Referee’s easiest decision of the night.
Half time – Real Madrid 2 – 1 Inter Milan
A scrappy start to the game saw lots of mistakes which made for an entertaining match up. One mistake, the most costly of the lot, provided Benzema with an easy goal before Ramos’ strong header providing a solid lead. Inter’s goal, however, was the goal of the half after a cheeky flick with the outside of his foot by Barella which finds Martinez to get a goal back. Zidane will be hoping his team can see off Inter this second half.
Second Half
46′ – Early sighter for Benzema as he receives the ball in the box as he waits to release the shot only to be blocked.
48′ – Yellow Card – Mendy receives a yellow after another poor challenge in the match.
48′ – Scrappy defending from Madrid with players falling over everywhere as the ball is whipped in and Ramos eventually blocks a shot by Perisic and clears.
51′ – Yellow Card – Hazard holds onto the ball and shields it from Brosovic which causes him to kick at his feet, resulting in a clear yellow.
53′ – Handball from Casemiro as the ball falls out from the sky. Just takes his eye of the ball for a split second which gifts a free kick to Inter in a position to cross.
The resulting free kick does not lead to anything as the ball in is met by Courtois.
57′ – Injury to Barella after a coming together with Ramos. In need of some attention from the medical staff.
He has now returned to the action.
60′ – Despite being behind, Inter are still confident enough to play out the back. Great to see.
62′ – Yellow Card – Clever feet from Barella to get away but Valverde slides in and takes Barella out. Another easy yellow.
63′ – Good defending by Ramos as Perisic, down the left hand side, whips a low ball into the middle needing Ramos to fantastically intercept it out for a corner.
64′ – Double Substitution – Zidane makes two changes for Madrid as Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior replace Hazard and Asensio.
65′ – Wide – A smart toe punt just wide from Vazquez as it is clear that the double change from Zidane has made a positive impact so far.
68′ – GOAL – Real Madrid 2 – 2 Inter Milan (Ivan Perisic)
Two down and now all square again as Perisic takes his time to roll it past Courtois. Martinez cleverly heads it down after a long ball over the top of the Madrid defence by Vidal.
70′ – Close from Inter as a ball out to Young evades an off balanced Vazquez and his low ball finds Hakimi but is matched by Varane superbly.
72′ – Yellow Card – Barella booked for dissent after a tussle between Mendy and Hakimi results in a Real Madrid throw despite the linesman saying it was for Inter.
Embed from Getty Images75′ – Chance goes begging for Inter as a poor header by Mendy goes straight to Martinez. His resulting shot flies just past the post from outside the box.
76′ – Real have started to push players forward which will open themselves up for the counter. Inter nearly capitalised on this as Perisic fires a low effort just past the post.
78′ – Double Substitution – Conte makes his first changes of the match as a knackered Perisic and Barella are off for Alexis Sanchez and Roberto Gagliardini.
78′ – Substitution – Final change for Zidane as Kroos is off for Luka Modric as he seeks a winner in the final stages.
80′ – GOAL – Real Madrid 3 – 2 Inter Milan (Rodrygo)
A potential match winner by Rodrygo as the two substitutes combine. Vinicius down the left hand side finds Rodrygo in the box and after a great touch fires it in with his right foot. Zidane will take the credit for that.
83′ – Benzema should have scored! Vazquez finds him at the back post unmarked. He just needed the right contact to win the match for Real but instead miss hits it completely and bounces up onto his arm, resulting in a foul.
Embed from Getty Images86′ – Yellow Card – Casemiro conceded a late free kick resulting in a yellow in a dangerous area.
87′ – Substitution – Inter make their final change as Radja Nainggolan is on for Vidal.
88′ – If Real end up with the three points it will be a huge achievement for them. After not winning the first two they had to win tonight if they have any chance of progressing into the next round, which their fans would expect as a minimum.
91′ – Inter keeping the ball as they look desperately for a winner but a ball in from Young is too hard and Hakimi cannot reach it.
92′ – Yellow Card – Courtois is booked for time wasting from the resulting goal kick.
92′ – Great save – Real trying to wind down the clock results in an opportunity for Benzema whose low shot whose low shot is saved by Handanovic’s left leg.
Full Time – Real Madrid 3 – 2 Inter Milan.
