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Vinicius Junior linked up with Jude Bellingham to score a crucial goal in Wednesday’s 1-1 draw against RB Leipzig and help Real Madrid advance to the Champions League quarterfinals with a 2-1 aggregate win.
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Bellingham set up the 65th-minute goal after finding Vinicius with a perfect through ball into the Leipzig box, teeing up the Brazilian for an uncontested strike into the top corner.
Willi Orban scored for Leipzig three minutes later to make things interesting, but Carlo Ancelotti’s men held on to progress despite struggling against an inspired opponent.
“We played badly, with little intensity, with worries … the psychological aspect conditioned our game a lot,” Ancelotti said.
“We played against an opponent with quality, who had nothing to lose, and we had the brakes on from start to finish – we suffered, but the important thing was to get to the quarterfinals.”
It’s the fourth season in a row that Madrid have reached the quarterfinals.
Last season, they beat Chelsea in the quarters before getting knocked out in the semifinals by eventual winners Manchester City, who also sealed a quarterfinal berth Wednesday.