Video: "Bring us Barcelona now": Real Madrid's magic foils Leipzig's surprise
The Royal Club raises the banner of defiance before El Clasico
Real Madrid sent a message to their supporters ahead of the Clasico with another convincing win. Keep up displays like this, and the signal is clear: "Bring us Barcelona now."
The Royal club saw off visitors Leipzig 4-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday evening, in the third round of the Champions League league phase. It was also their final test before Sunday's Clasico against Barca in La Liga.
Jose Mourinho's side can now walk into the Clasico with calm nerves and high morale, backed by impressive performances against Roma, Sevilla and Leipzig. They hold a psychological edge, too, over a rival coming off a first defeat of the season, 4-2 at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain.
Barcelona had looked the favourites to settle the Clasico, given their run of wins and eye-catching football in La Liga and the Champions League. The scales now appear almost level following the Royal club's revival.
Leipzig had threatened the Real Madrid goal in the first half, but Thibaut Courtois stood firm while the home side spread their magic, especially after the break.
Full marks in the Champions League for Real Madrid, who had already beaten Inter Milan and Roma in the first two rounds. The win lifts them to fourth in the overall standings on 9 points, while the German side stay frozen on 3 points in 27th.
Courtois excels and Silva goes ahead
Real Madrid controlled the course of the first half and went ahead, but they also rode out dangerous attacks from Leipzig that nearly cost them dearly. Courtois saved them more than once.
Arda Guler caused chaos on the right flank. He broke forward time and again and whipped in crosses, the most dangerous arriving in the 15th minute, but Kylian Mbappe could not turn it into a goal.
Twice in the first half Courtois protected his goal, the first in the 28th minute when he kept out a close-range shot from inside the box, the second in the 41st minute by denying a one-on-one.
Jude Bellingham threatened the German goal in the 39th minute with a rocket strike from outside the area that flew over the bar.
Two minutes before the break, Bernardo Silva struck the hosts' opener. He followed up a Guler effort and deceived the goalkeeper inside the six-yard box.
Mbappe dazzles and Diomande scores against his former club
Real Madrid came out for the second half and cranked up the pressure to settle the three points early. Six minutes later, they had their wish.
Bellingham broke forward from the left and played a precise cross that Mbappe met with a header, and Guler bundled it into the German net.
Buoyed by the second goal, Real Madrid gained confidence, controlled the ball and kept threatening the Leipzig goal, snuffing out any hope of a surprise from the Germans.
Mourinho withdrew Vinicius Junior after 70 minutes, with the Brazilian unable to find his level, and brought on the Ivorian Yan Diomande.
With the match seemingly heading for a clean brace, Mbappe scored a stunner. He collected a ball from substitute Diomande and curled it into the far corner, beyond the goalkeeper's reach.
Leipzig refused to leave empty-handed. Tidiam Gomis grabbed a consolation, pouncing on poor positioning from the Real Madrid defenders after a pass from Christoph Baumgartner.
Diomande wrapped up Real Madrid's four with a rocket strike. He latched onto a pass from Moroccan substitute Brahim Diaz and shook the net of his former club.
