Real Madrid Nudge Past Leipzig to Secure Champions League Quarterfinal Spot
Real Madrid found themselves deadlocked in a 1-1 stalemate against Leipzig on Wednesday, securing passage to the quarterfinals of the Champions League for the fourth consecutive season amidst swirling accusations of tax malfeasance directed at their coach, Carlo Ancelotti, by Spanish authorities.
FT:
🏴 Man City 3-1 Copenhagen 🇩🇰 Agg: 6-2
🇪🇸 Real Madrid 1-1 RB Leipzig 🇩🇪 Agg: 2-1#UCL #RMARBL #RMALEI pic.twitter.com/MyqTmTm9Gw— Match Spoots (@matchspoots) March 6, 2024
Despite moments of brilliance, Madrid were often outmatched at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, yet their aggregate 2-1 triumph owed much to their slender 1-0 victory in the initial encounter in Germany three weeks prior.
In the 65th minute, Vinícius Júnior broke the deadlock for the hosts, capitalizing on a perfectly placed pass from Jude Bellingham, only for Leipzig to respond resiliently with an equalizer courtesy of Willi Orbán in the 68th.
Despite Madrid’s storied pedigree as the 14-time European champions, their lackluster display left the door ajar for Leipzig, who squandered several opportunities to orchestrate a stunning upset, none more agonizing than Dani Olmo’s late attempt that rattled the crossbar in injury time.
The fixture was overshadowed by the specter of legal proceedings as prosecutors in Madrid leveled accusations of tax evasion against Ancelotti, alleging that the esteemed tactician had withheld €1 million from Spanish tax authorities during his initial tenure with the club between 2014 and 2015. The prosecution contends that Ancelotti utilized a clandestine corporate entity to obfuscate portions of his earnings derived from image rights.
In the aftermath of the match, all eyes were on Ancelotti, who was slated to confront the allegations head-on.
