Inter Milan 0-2 Real Madrid | Five Hits & Flops as Madrid record their first win at the San Siro | UEFA Champions League 2020-21
Real Madrid managed to put their indifferent league form and skipper Sergio Ramos' absence behind them as they produced a clinical display to win at the home of a star-studded Inter Milan in the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League. In the process, Real Madrid won at the historic San Siro, the home of Serie A giants AC Milan and Inter Milan, for the first time in 17 games.
Eden Hazard was back among the goals for Real Madrid, as the Belgian scored his first Champions League goal in three years and only his third for Los Blancos. However, for the hosts, Arturo Vidal was given the marching orders only 32 minutes into the game for a needless argument with referee Anthony Taylor.
Brazillian teen sensation Rodrygo, who came on as a substitute, doubled Real Madrid's lead with his first touch on the night. However, the strike took a deflection off a defender and went down as an Inter Milan own goal.
Before kick-off, a minute's silence was observed to pay tribute to the late Argentine football icon Diego Maradona.
On that note, let us take a look at five hits and flops from the game.
#5 Hit - Rodrygo (Real Madrid)
Rodrygo, the 19-year-old winger, came on for Mariano Diaz just before the hour mark and scored with his first touch on the night. Although it went to the back of the net via a deflection, Rodrygo deserved credit for his positional awareness.
After scoring the winner when the two sides last met, the Brazilian continued from where he left off, playing the perfect cameo of an attack-minded substitute. Coach Zinedine Zidane can certainly count on Rodrygo to step up on the left flank in place of Hazard or Mariano Diaz whenever the need arises.
#4 Flop - Achraf Hakimi (Inter Milan)
Against his former side, the Moroccan full-back Achraf Hakimi was the guilty party in Real Madrid's second goal, first leaving Rodrygo unmarked in the box and then bundling the substitute's resulting shot into his own net. Apart from that error, the 22-year old was kept quiet by the young Ferland Mendy for large parts of the game.
The red card to Vidal didn't help the full-back, who loves making forays into the opposition half. However, Hakimi has looked a pale shadow of what he was at Dortmund last season. Coach Antonio Conte needs to sort this issue out on priority, given that his job is already under the scanner.