Real Madrid put their UEFA Champions League (UCL) campaign back on track with a resounding 5-1 victory over Red Bull Salzburg at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu. The win ensures Los Blancos’ qualification to the knockout stages, alleviating some pressure on Carlo Ancelotti’s side.

The opening 20 minutes saw Salzburg dominate proceedings, with Oscar Gloukh coming close to giving the visitors an unlikely lead. However, Real Madrid’s ruthless efficiency in front of goal soon took over, as they scored with their first shot on target. Rodrygo’s tidy finish from a wide angle gave Los Blancos the lead, and he doubled his tally just 10 minutes later with an unstoppable curling effort.

The hosts’ third goal was gifted to them by Salzburg goalkeeper Janis Blaswich, who attempted to dribble past Kylian Mbappé but was dispossessed, allowing the Frenchman to tap into an empty net. Vinícius Júnior added a fourth goal, racing onto a pinpoint Luka Modrić through ball and burying his shot beyond Blaswich.

Salzburg’s goalkeeper finally made his first save of the match with 15 minutes to go, tipping over a fierce Brahim Díaz shot. However, moments later, Real Madrid put together a flowing move that ended with Vinícius dummying past a defender and slotting home his second goal of the night.

Mads Bidstrup scored a fine consolation goal for Salzburg, meeting an Amar Dedić cross and lashing in a powerful shot. Despite the defeat, Salzburg’s performance in the opening 20 minutes showed promise, but ultimately, Real Madrid’s quality and efficiency in front of goal proved too much for the Austrian side.

The win sees Real Madrid secure their spot in the UCL knockout stages, while Salzburg’s sixth defeat of the campaign leaves them struggling to make an impact in the competition. Real Madrid travel to Valladolid at the weekend in the La Liga before traveling to Brest next week in their final UCL league match