MADRID, Nov 8 (Reuters) – Real Madrid showcased their dominance in the Champions League as they secured a place in the last 16 with a commanding 3-0 victory over Portuguese side Braga on Wednesday. Brahim Diaz, Vinicius Jr, and Rodrygo found the net, maintaining Real’s perfect record in Group C with 12 points from four games.
Real manager Carlo Ancelotti opted to rest key players, including top scorer Jude Bellingham, who was sidelined with a shoulder injury. Despite the changes, the 14-times champions asserted their supremacy, leading the group and eyeing top spot with a point in their upcoming home game against Napoli.
An early scare saw Real conceding a penalty in the fourth minute, but goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, a last-minute addition to the starting lineup, made a crucial save to deny Braga’s Alvaro Djalo. Real then seized control, with Brahim Diaz breaking the deadlock in the 27th minute.
Despite Braga’s attempts to stay in the game, Vinicius Jr extended Real’s lead in the 58th minute with a tidy finish, followed by Rodrygo’s brilliant chip three minutes later to seal the victory.
Man-of-the-match Rodrygo expressed his delight, describing the game as perfect. “We have a lot of quality in our squad that is so deep. If we have a good day, it’s difficult to prevent us from scoring. Today went very well, and we hope it continues like this for the next games,” he told Movistar Plus.