MADRID HIT BY SOLOMON SHAK-DOWN
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ROUND-UP
REAL MADRID were handed a humiliating Champions League defeat as a shambolic first-half performance was punished by a second-string Shakhtar Donetsk.
The Ukrainian side, missing 10 players due to injuries and COVID-19, pulled off a shock 3-2 win in last night’s Group B opener.
Despite needing to call up youthteam players, Shakhtar’s young guns were undaunted and swept into a 3-0 lead within 42 minutes at Real’s empty Alfredo Di Stefano training ground.
The 13-time European champions were left shell-shocked after paying the penalty for a poor first-half display.
Brazilian midfielder Tete gave Shakhtar the lead after 29 minutes, slotting low past Thibaut Courtois followin following Viktor
Kor Korniyenko’s run.
The visitors doubled their lead four minutes later when Madrid defender Raphael Varane stabbed in into his own net as he tried to clear a loose ball.
And Israeli forward Manor Solomon continued the onslaught by firing home shortly before the break.
Luka Modric pulled one back for Zinedine Zidane’s men with a brilliant strike from distance early in the second half.
And the comeback seemed to be on when substitute Vinicius Junior (above) reduced the deficit on the hour. Federico Valverde thought he had scored, but was judged to be offside.
Romelu Lukaku earned a point for Inter Milan against Monchengladbach, his second of the match in a 2-2 draw coming in the 90th minute. The result left Real Madrid bottom of the group.
Bayern Munich hammered Atletico Madrid 4-0 in Group A, with winger Kingsley Coman scoring in each half. Leon Goretzka and Corentin Tolisso also found the net.
Red Bull Salzburg were held 2-2 by Lokomotiv Moscow, Vitaly Lisakovich’s 75th minute leveller earning the Russian side a point.
In Group C Olympiakos beat Marseille 1-0 in time added on, while in Liverpool’s Group D Atalanta went top with a 4-0 demolition of Midtjylland.