Real Madrid beat Leipzig 4-1 to maintain perfect Champions League start

Real Madrid maintained their unbeaten, all-winning start to the Champions League league phase by defeating RB Leipzig 4-1 at the Bernabéu on Wednesday. AFP reported that the victory took Madrid to nine points from three matches, with Bernardo Silva opening the scoring before Arda Güler, Kylian Mbappé and Yan Diomande completed the home side's tally.

Watch the highlights:

The margin did not reflect an entirely comfortable evening. According to AFP's match report, Thibaut Courtois kept Leipzig out with important first-half saves from Rómulo Cardoso and Christopher Nkunku. Madrid eventually broke through shortly before the interval when Silva finished from close range after goalkeeper Maarten Vandevoordt failed to hold Güler's effort.

Güler increased the advantage after the restart, completing a move involving Jude Bellingham and Mbappé. AFP described Bellingham sending the ball towards the far post, where Mbappé headed it across for Güler to finish. The goal gave Madrid a two-goal cushion after a first half in which Leipzig had threatened on the counterattack.

FotMob's match record places Güler's goal in the 52nd minute, with the final three goals arriving in a brief late burst. Mbappé made it 3-0 in the 83rd minute, Tidiam Gomis replied for Leipzig in the 85th and Diomande restored Madrid's three-goal margin in the 87th. Leipzig's reply therefore reduced the deficit for only two minutes.

The substitutes contributed directly to that closing sequence. FotMob records Diomande replacing Vinícius Júnior in the 70th minute and providing the assist for Mbappé before scoring himself from a Brahim Díaz assist. Díaz had entered in place of Güler in the 78th minute. Leipzig's scorer Gomis was also introduced from the bench, replacing Antonio Nusa in the 73rd minute.

FotMob's statistics show Madrid finishing with 64 percent possession and 18 shots, compared with Leipzig's 11 attempts. The home side also registered 37 touches in the opposition penalty area against Leipzig's 28. The figures accompanied a result in which Madrid scored three times after half-time, while the visitors' only goal came during the late exchange.