UCL Madrid Escapes Another Humiliation

One step forward, two steps back. That’s how it works at Real Madrid these days.
Just as it seemed as if Zinedine Zidane’s side had finally plugged their leaky defence – stopping the rot after being humiliated by PSG a fortnight ago – they went and spoiled it all with an embarrassing display at the Santiago Bernabeu against Club Brugge.
Madrid were thrashed 3-0 in their Champions League opener by an under-strength PSG team missing Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani.
However, three consecutive clean sheets in La Liga – a first in either Zidane era – to go with wins over Sevilla, Osasuna and then a draw at Atletico Madrid, took Madrid to the top of the table.
Crisis talk abated, rays of light cutting through the gloom, as Zidane and Co looked to get back to business against Club Brugge in what seemed a straightforward game.
So much so that the coach left Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez out of his squad entirely – two of the club’s best players so far in this campaign.
But Madrid were sliced open repeatedly by the Belgians on the break, stumbling to a 2-2 draw on Tuesday night.
Los Blancos were left battered and bruised, the 13-time record winners of the competition dismissed with their tails between their legs once again. Indeed, only a late Casemiro goal prevented the ultimate humiliation.
The highs of their three consecutive Champions League titles between 2016 and 2018 now seem like an eternity ago.
Just as they were thrashed 4-1 here by Ajax in the last 16 second leg clash last season, Brugge seemed to cut through Madrid at will.
Madrid were susceptible to pacy attacks and Brighton loanee Percy Tau got in behind captain Sergio Ramos to set up Emmanuel Dennis for the opening goal.
The forward did not know much about the finish, stabbing home accidentally as he miscontrolled the ball, leaving goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois all at sea.
Dennis’ 11th minute strike was the quickest goal Madrid has conceded at home in the Champions’ League group phase since Luciano Galletti struck after seven minutes for Olympiacos in 2007.
Madrid managed their first effort on target after 27 long minutes, with Raphael Varane’s header well parried by ex-Liverpool man Simon Mignolet.
Before that only efforts from midfield duo Toni Kroos and Luka Modric which both flew wide did anything to raise the pulses of fans at the Santiago Bernabeu.