REAL MADRID BEAT CHELSEA TO END PRESEASON U.S. TOUR

Real Madrid closed out their tour of the U.S. with a 2-1 friendly win over Chelsea at Bank of America Stadium on Charlotte, North Carolina, on Tuesday night.

New arrival Kylian Mbappé and last year's standout performer Jude Bellingham did not take part in Madrid's tour of the U.S., with the pair resting after a busy summer at the European Championship.

But despite being without two of the game's biggest names, their was still plenty of star power on the field for the defending LaLiga champions, who went in front before 20 minutes when Lucas Vázquez poked home from close range following a goalmouth scramble.

Madrid doubled the lead shortly after when Brahim Díaz ran down a through ball from Vinícius Júnior and rounded Chelsea keeper Filip Jörgensen before slotting home from a tight angle.

Chelsea, who'd made very few trips into Madrid's end of the field, pulled a goal back before the break with Noni Madueke's towering header at the back post from an Enzo Fernández cross.

The second half finished goalless.

Carlo Ancelotti's side begin the 2024-25 campaign in earnest on Aug. 14 against Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup, a match featuring last year's Champions and Europa League winners. Chelsea have one more club friendly on Aug. 11 before starting their Premier League season at home to Manchester City on Aug. 18.

Game Information

Bank of America Stadium

2:00 AM, August 7, 2024

Coverage: ESPN2/ESPNDP/ESPN+

Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

Over/Under: 3.5

Attendance: 62,617

Referees: Guido Gonzales Jr.

CEBALLOS SCORES LATE FOR REAL MADRID TO BEAT UNION BERLIN 3-2 AND STAY PERFECT IN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

AP Photo 

BERLIN (AP) — Dani Ceballos scored late for Real Madrid to come from behind to beat Union Berlin 3-2 and complete a perfect Champions League group stage on Tuesday.

Ceballos grabbed the winner in the 89th minute, four minutes after Union substitute Alex Král equalized and kept alive Union’s hopes of clinching a Europa League place. The German team had needed a win and a favor from Napoli against Braga in the other group game to clinch a Europa League spot as the third-place finisher in the group.

Instead, Madrid made it six wins from six games in Group C. It’s the third time Madrid achieved the feat after doing so 2011 and 2014.

“Every time you pull on this jersey, you can't give anything away,” said Joselu, who scored Madrid's other two goals. “I think there's a weight when you put on this shirt that means you never give up, every game is important.”