In their last Champions League Group C match on Tuesday, Real Madrid’s Dani Ceballos scored the game-winning goal in the 89th minute to secure a 3-2 victory against Union Berlin. With six wins from six games, the Germans finished their European journey in bottom position.
“There are no buts,” manager Carlo Ancelotti said after the match. “We did very well. In the second part of the season our play has improved. In the last two games we didn’t manage being in front well, today and against [Real] Betis. We have to deal with that better.”
The hosts had gotten off to a strong start, and after only 55 seconds, Madrid goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga had to make an incredible one-handed save to keep Kevin Behrens at bay.
The Spanish countered in the sixteenth minute with a glancing header from Joselu that bounced off the crossbar. A minute later, he blasted wide again, and in the forty-third minute, Luka Modric had a penalty kick saved by Frederik Ronnow.
Rather, in a thrilling first-half denouement, the home team found the back of the net when Kevin Volland scored in stoppage time after David Alaba misplayed the ball.
“It was a strange game,” Ancelotti added. “We controlled the first half well, we dominated…but two crazy minutes made everything complicated. Fortunately in the second half we were more efficient, with more crosses, we have a forward who’s good with his head, and we scored two goals.”
Union needed to win in order to have any hope of making it to the Europa League, but as the pressure mounted, Ronnow once again saved them, tipping a header from Rodrygo that was right in front of him beyond. However, six minutes later, Joselu’s header at the far post beat the Dane.
After a fantastic Fran Garcia run and cross, the Madrid forward scored again in the 73rd, this time at the near post. However, in the 85th, Alex Kral’s low shot gave the Germans a momentary equalizer.
With Madrid now up to 18 points as Ceballos sealed the victory in the 89th minute, Napoli, who had finished in second place with 10 points, also advanced to the next round. Union took the bottom spot with two points, while Braga came in third with four.