MAN CITY'S RODRI: I CAN'T RESPECT REAL MADRID'S BALLON D'OR BOYCOTT

Manchester City's Rodri has said he can't respect Real Madrid's decision to boycott the Ballon d'Or ceremony in October after he received the award over Vinícius Júnior.

The midfielder was awarded with the individual prize after a stellar season that saw him pick up the Premier League trophy with City and the European Championship with Spain.

Rodri's stiffest competition was Vinícius, who refused to travel to Paris for the ceremony after learning he would not be taking home the award along with the rest of the Madrid squad and the club's executives.

"Well, it's a decision of individuals or clubs in general to decide what to do. I cannot respect the decision, I always said I wouldn't do it in the same way," Rodri said on "The Rest is Football" podcast.

"I remember last year that maybe Erling [Haaland] was close to winning it I wanted to be there with him to support with all the club and even though Leo [Lionel Messi] won it, we were there clapping him because Ballon d'Or is a recognition not for a player, it's for a year, for a level of a guy for a whole year."

Vinícius had been a top contender to win the men's prize after helping Madrid to a LaLiga and Champions League double last season, but neither he nor his fellow Madrid nominees -- eight in total across the various awards -- attended the event.

Manchester City's Rodri won the 2024 men's Ballon d'Or prize. Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images

Madrid were honoured as the men's team of the year and Carlo Ancelotti received the coach of the year award at the ceremony, though as no representatives of the club were present, no-one was on hand to accept the silverware.

"In sport and in life, it's important to win. But I think even more how to lose and I say always the same, it was my moment, I didn't want to speak about others," Rodri added.

"They didn't want to be there -- I want to be with my club, with my family, the people that were there and clapped me and that was a fantastic moment."

Prior to the ceremony, Rodri suffered an ACL injury during a Premier League clash with Arsenal that has seen the midfielder ruled out for the foreseeable future.

"My target is to come back this season," he said. "I think in terms of my mentality it's going to be positive for me to not give up the season and throw it. I don't want to run, you know, I don't want to make mistakes.

"But yeah, that's my mentality. I don't know when ... In my target is six, seven months, but the physios, they will dictate."

- ESPN 

REAL MADRID'S EDUARDO CAMAVINGA OUT FOR THREE WEEKS - SOURCE

Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga is assisted after getting injured during the Champions League match between Liverpool and Real Madrid at Anfield Stadium. | Photo Credit: AP

Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga will be out for around three weeks, a source has told ESPN, after he picked up a muscular injury in his left leg in Wednesday's 2-0 Champions League defeat to Liverpool.

Camavinga, who only returned from a knee ligament problem in September, had been one of Madrid's best performers at Anfield until he was substituted in the 56th minute.

Madrid have had to deal with a string of injuries this season, with Dani Carvajal and Éder Militão out long-term, and Vinícius Júnior, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Rodrygo Goes and David Alaba all unavailable against Liverpool.

A three-week absence would see Camavinga miss LaLiga games with Getafe, Athletic Club and Girona, a must-win clash at Atalanta in the Champions League, and Rayo Vallecano in LaLiga.

Madrid's loss to Liverpool was their third in five Champions League games, and saw them struggling in 24th place in the table, the last of the qualifying positions.

- Alex Kirkland and Rodrigo Faez

BALLON D'OR: REPORT SHOWS MARGIN OF RODRI WIN OVER VINICUS

France Football, the magazine that organises the Ballon d'Or award, has revealed the margin by which Manchester City midfielder Rodri controversially beat Real Madrid's Vinícius Júnior to the prestigious individual prize.

Rodri won the Ballon d'Or with 1170 points, just 41 more than Vinícius (1129).

Vinícius and his Madrid teammates, as well as the club's coaches and executives, refused to attend the ceremony in Paris on Oct. 28 after learning the result ahead of time, deeming it to be a miscarriage of sporting justice.

The voting report, published by French outlet L'Equipe ahead of France Football's print version being released on Saturday, details that each of the 99 judges for the men's award listed a top 10 for the Ballon d'Or, with each first-place vote worth 15 points, followed by 12, 10, eight, seven, five, four, three, two and one point for the 10th-place slot.

That means there were 6,633 points voted for in total, showing Rodri's 41-point lead over Brazil winger Vinícius to be razor-thin.

France Football's data also showed other surprising trends, with Atalanta and Nigeria forward Ademola Lookman joining Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, Lautaro Martínez and Rodri as the non-Madrid players to receive a first-place vote.

Of the players who won the Champions League with Madrid last season, Jude Bellingham (5), Dani Carvajal (4) and Toni Kroos (2) all earned multiple considerations as the best player for 2023-24 by judges.

Five jurors did not select Rodri in the top 10 of their ballot, with three omitting Vinícius.

- ESPN 

VINICIUS JÚNIOR, REAL MADRID TO SKIP BALLON D'OR AWARDS - SOURCES

Vinícius Júnior and his Real Madrid teammates will not travel to Paris for Monday's Ballon d'Or ceremony, sources have told ESPN, because they believe Manchester City midfielder Rodri will receive the award.

Vinícius, 24, was a leading contender to win the 2024 men's prize after leading Madrid to a LaLiga and Champions League double last season.

Sources have told ESPN that the Brazil international and his fellow Madrid nominees -- Jude Bellingham, Dani Carvajal, Kylian Mbappé, Antonio Rüdiger, Federico Valverde, as well as Andriy Lunin, nominated for best goalkeeper, Arda Güler, nominated for the Kopa trophy, and Carlo Ancelotti, nominated for best coach -- would not be attending the event, organized by the magazine France Football, in collaboration with UEFA.

Vinícius scored 15 goals in LaLiga last season, as well as six in the Champions League, including in Madrid's semifinal win over Bayern Munich and in the final against Borussia Dortmund.

The feeling in Madrid in recent weeks had been that the forward was likely to claim the award.

"I think he'll win it," Ancelotti said last week.

Vinícius would have been the first Brazilian to win the men's Ballon d'Or since Kaká in 2007.

The 2023 Ballon d'Or was won by Lionel Messi -- his eighth -- while in 2022, Madrid's Karim Benzema was handed the prize.

Vinícius scored a second-half hat trick in Madrid's 5-2 Champions League comeback against Dortmund last week, before featuring in a disappointing 4-0 defeat to Barcelona in the Clásico on Saturday.

In the summer, he scored twice for Brazil in the Copa America -- both goals coming in a 4-1 win over Paraguay -- but struggled in the tournament overall, as they were eliminated by Uruguay in the quarterfinals.

Rodri was a key figure in City's 2023-24 Premier League title, and then starred for Spain in their run to victory at Euro 2024.

- Gustavo Hofman and Rodrigo Faez

REAL MADRID'S RODRYGO 'UPSET' BY BALLON D'OR SNUB

Rodrygo told ESPN he was "upset" at his omission from this week's men's Ballon d'Or shortlist, after helping Real Madrid win a LaLiga and Champions League double last season.

Club teammates Vinícius Júnior, Jude Bellingham, Federico Valverde, Toni Kroos -- since retired -- Antonio Rüdiger and Dani Carvajal were nominated, as well as Madrid's summer signing Kylian Mbappé, but there was no place for Rodrygo on the 30-man list.

"I was upset, I think I deserved it," Rodrygo told ESPN in an exclusive interview on Sunday. "I don't want to belittle the players who are there, but I think I had a place in the 30. It was a surprise... But there's not much I can do, I'm not the one who decides these things."

The Ballon d'Or winner will be announced at a ceremony in Paris on Oct. 28.

Rodrygo scored 10 goals in 34 LaLiga appearances last season, as well as finding the net five times in the Champions League.

His place in the Madrid team has come under pressure with the arrival of Mbappé, although coach Carlo Ancelotti has continued to pick him as part of a three-man forward line so far this campaign.

In a recent social media post, Rodrygo published a series of photos of himself lifting trophies with Madrid, accompanied by a laughing emoji, which he admitted was intended to make fun of his Ballon d'Or snub.

"I made a somewhat mocking post," Rodrygo told ESPN. "Now there's not much to say. Everyone knows my indignation. Everyone [has supported me], both in the national team and at Real Madrid. People sent messages."

Rodrygo admitted that his versatility has inhibited his progress, especially with Brazil, who play Paraguay in a World Cup qualifier on Tuesday.

The forward scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 victory over Ecuador this weekend.

"Often, I'm just filling spaces," Rodrygo said. "Is someone missing there? Put Rodrygo in. Is someone missing on the right? Rodrygo. Is someone missing as No. 9? Rodrygo. That's it. It may get in my way a little, but I'm a team player."

Rodrygo was asked about Madrid and Brazil teenager Endrick, who has been given the ironic nickname "Bobby" by teammates after citing England legend Bobby Charlton as one of his idols.

"Now he has become Bobby!" Rodrygo told ESPN. "He is no longer Endrick. He's become Bobby, that's it. There's nothing to be done, if he gets angry, it's worse!"

- Alex Kirkland and Rodrigo Faez

KYLIAN MBAPPÉ SAYS REAL MADRID HAVE 'NO LIMIT' AFTER SUPER CUP WIN

Kylian Mbappé said there's "no limit" to how many goals he and Real Madrid can score this season, after getting off the mark in his debut as the club lifted the UEFA Super Cup with a 2-0 win over Atalanta.

After a tight first half in Warsaw, Poland, Federico Valverde opened the scoring in the 59th minute, converting Vinícius Júnior's cross, before Mbappé scored his first Madrid goal nine minutes later from a slick attacking move involving Rodrygo , Vinícius and Jude Bellingham.

"We're at Real Madrid, we have no limit, I have no limit," Mbappé told Movistar after the match on Wednesday when he was asked whether 50 goals was a realistic target for him this season. "If I can score 50 goals, it's 50. But the most important thing is to win and improve as a team, because we're going to win as a team."

Mbappé joined Madrid on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain this summer, signing a five-year contract and ending a long-running, high-profile transfer saga.

The France international started the Super Cup game -- which pitted the winners of last season's Champions League, Madrid, against the Europa League winners, Italy's Atalanta -- and played as a central striker, just a week after joining up with his new teammates for preseason training.

"A great night," Mbappé said. "I've been waiting for this moment a long time, to play in this shirt, with this badge, for these fans. It's a great moment for me.

"Winning a trophy is very important, we know that [at Madrid] we always have to win. I'm very happy, for sure with the goal, for a forward like me, being decisive in my first game, but more importantly it's a pleasure to play."

Madrid lined up with Brazilians Vinícius and Rodrygo either side of Mbappé, and Bellingham behind him, in an attacking side picked by coach Carlo Ancelotti.

- Alex Kirkland, ESPN FC

REAL MADRID'S ANCELOTTI: VINICIUS JR. SAUDI LINKS 'SPECULATION'

Getty Images 

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has dismissed reports linking star player Vinícius Júnior with a move to Saudi Arabia as "just speculation."

Ancelotti spoke in Warsaw ahead of Madrid's first game of the season on Wednesday, the UEFA Super Cup against Atalanta, where he said new signing Kylian Mbappé could make his debut.

ESPN reported on Monday that Vinícius, 24, was considering a proposal from the Saudi Pro League, although the Brazil international is happy in Spain and Real Madrid do not want the player to leave.

"There isn't anything at all," Ancelotti said in a prematch news conference on Tuesday. "There's just speculation, at this time in the [transfer] market, which closes on Aug. 31. There's just speculation, nothing else."

Vinícius was a key player in Madrid's Champions League and LaLiga-winning season in 2023-24, scoring 24 goals in all competitions.

"Of course speculation doesn't affect [Vinícius]," Ancelotti said. "He's here, he wants to be here. He wants to do his best and help Real Madrid."

The Italian manager denied that Madrid's sporting project was under threat from Saudi Arabia's investment in football, which has seen high-profile signings such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Neymar arrive in the country in the past two years.

"No, absolutely not," Ancelotti said. "We have our project and we continue in that. We have a squad of great quality. ... We've lost important players and we've brought in others who have to adapt. We have to work to maintain the atmosphere, and the commitment, which was the key last year."

Madrid's squad has been strengthened this summer by the arrival of Mbappé, who signed last month on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain but only arrived to training recently due to his participation with France in the European Championship this summer.

Mbappé only joined up with his new Madrid teammates for preseason training last week, but Ancelotti said he was in contention to start against Atalanta.

"Kylian has arrived well, like all the other [players], who haven't had much time [to train]," Ancelotti said. "He's arrived in good form, he's adapting well. Obviously everyone who's here [in Warsaw] could play tomorrow.

"There's an atmosphere here that's very healthy. That's down to the players who've been here, like Dani [Carvajal], like Nacho [Fernandez], [Luka] Modric.

"There are no princes or kings; there are just players with different qualities, players who've used their qualities for the good of the team.

"I've trained with [Mbappé] a couple of times now," midfielder Federico Valverde said. "We know the class he has, he's one of the best in the world. He looks motivated and for sure he'll leave his mark at this club."

Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga had to leave his team's practice early on Tuesday after suffering a knee injury. He is set to miss Wednesday's Super Cup showdown with Atalanta.

- Alex Kirkland and Rodrigo Faez

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.

COPA AMÉRICA: BRAZIL BOSS SLAMS REF FOR BOOKING VINICIUS JR.

Reuters 

 Brazil manager Dorival Junior criticised the decision to book Vinícius Júnior during their 1-1 Copa América draw with Colombia on Tuesday, which will see the Real Madrid forward miss his team's quarterfinal clash with Uruguay.

Winger Raphinha put Brazil ahead in the 12th minute in Santa Clara, California, before Daniel Muñoz levelled before half-time, for a result which saw Colombia top Group D ahead of Brazil in second.

Brazil will now play contenders Uruguay in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday, while Colombia have a theoretically easier tie with Panama.

Vinicius was handed a yellow card for appearing to strike Colombia's James Rodríguez early in the match, and now faces a one-game suspension after picking up two cards in the group stage.

''It's a situation that happened in the game," Dorival Junior said when asked about Vinícius' booking. "In the first move, which was accidental for me, he ended up getting the first card. Everything that happened was very strange.

"Recently I heard that Brazil had to learn to play without their big players. I think it's time ... Vini happens to be out, and unfortunately we lost Neymar [to injury before the tournament]. We have to learn that at times, others will have to appear. We'll have a difficult game against Uruguay."

"Vini is a top player who can win games for us," full-back Danilo added. "But we have other players with a lot of quality and potential, and let's try to make up for Vini's absence."

Brazil were also unhappy with referee Jesus Valenzuela's failure to award them a penalty for Muñoz's challenge on Vinícius inside the box before half-time, five minutes before the Colombia defender made it 1-1.

"At that moment, it would have been 2-0," Dorival Junior said. "With the speed we have, the team we have, a scoreline of 2-0 is very different to 1-0. For me, it was decisive.

"Especially because inside the stadium, only he [the referee] and the VAR team didn't see the penalty. Brazil were once again put at a disadvantage."

Brazil have been unhappy with various aspects of the competition's organisation so far, with Vinícius outspoken in his criticism of officials, playing conditions and organisers CONMEBOL.

"The Copa America is always difficult because of the pitches, because of the referees -- who always go against us -- and because of the way CONMEBOL treats people," Vinícius said after Brazil's 4-1 group win over Paraguay. "It's always difficult, but we have to stay strong. We can only talk by winning. When we talk, CONMEBOL say we talk too much."

- Alex Kirkland, ESPN FC

JUDE BELLINGHAM HAILS REAL MADRID'S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TRIUMPH

Jude Bellingham with his Champions League medal. Julian Finney - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images

Jude Bellingham has described Real Madrid's Champions League final win over Borussia Dortmund as "the best night of my life" as the Spanish giants claimed their record-extending 15th European crown.

Bellingham assisted Vinícius Júnior for the second goal that secured the 2-0 victory after Dani Carvajal headed in Toni Kroos' header to open the scoring, and was visibly emotional speaking to TNT Sports after the game.

"I've always dreamed of playing in these games. You go through life and there's so many people that say you can't do things, and days like today just remind you why," the 20-year-old said.

"I was alright until I saw my mum and dad's face there. The amount of nights where they could be at home by 7 o'clock and they're doing trips at 11, 12 at night to take me to football.

"I can't put it into words, it's the best night of my life."

The win brings to a close a club season that saw Madrid win LaLiga comfortably and win the Spanish Supercopa.

"I think it has got to be up there," Bellingham said when asked if it was the perfect debut season in Spain.

"We missed out on the Copa del Rey that's the only disappointing thing I suppose... I can't have dreamed it much better than this."

 

UCL: DORTMUND DOESN'T HAVA A MBAPPÉ, AND THEY DON'T NEED ONE

 

Niclas Fullkrug scored the only goal in Borussia Dortmund's 1-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinal on Wednesday. Hendrik Deckers/Borussia Dortmund via Getty Images

DORTMUND, Germany -- Borussia Dortmund don't need a star to sparkle.

They don't have Vinícius Júnior, Harry Kane or Kylian Mbappé -- the talismans of this year's other Champions League semifinalists -- but the players they do have, they use effectively. Now, seemingly against the odds, they're in sight of the final.

A 1-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in Dortmund on Wednesday means that if BVB can avoid defeat in Paris next week in the second leg, they will be lining up against either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich at Wembley in the Champions League final.

If they get there, they will be underdogs again. But they were against Atletico Madrid in the last round, and not many had them qualifying from a group that also included Newcastle United, AC Milan and PSG. Yet here they are, 90 minutes away from earning an unlikely shot at being crowned champions of Europe.

Mats Hummels was named Man of the Match, and Jadon Sancho was exceptional -- but as if to ram home the point about what is powering Borussia Dortmund's Champions League run, coach Edin Terzic was more interested in praising the collective quality and spirit his players had shown.

"It was a well-deserved win, a good team performance," he said. "We could have scored more goals, but so could they. That's why the result is OK from my point of view. We ran a lot, but that's necessary in a game like this. You have to earn your way to Wembley.

"All we need now is a draw in the second leg, but we also want to win next week. We have a small lead and a good opportunity."

While PSG have collected star after star under the deep-pocketed ownership of Qatar Sports Investments, Borussia Dortmund have grown used to having their best players stripped away.

Jude Bellingham, Erling Haaland, Robert Lewandowski, Christian Pulisic, Ilkay Gündogan, Manuel Akanji and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have all, at different times, gone onto bigger and better things. Ousmane Dembélé is now at PSG via a €135 million move to Barcelona from Dortmund in 2017.

The exit door at Signal Iduna Park has swung open again and again, but it hasn't stopped Terzic from building a team that, as PSG found out, is greater than the sum of its parts. BVB's goal here was scored by Niclas Füllkrug, a 31-year-old journeyman striker picked up for €15 million from Werder Bremen in the summer.

The pass that Fullkrug expertly took down and smashed low into the net midway through the first half was delivered by defender Nico Schlotterbeck, signed for €20 million from Freiburg in 2022.

There were impressive performances in midfield from Emre Can, back in Germany after spells at Liverpool and Juventus, and Marcel Sabitzer, deemed not good enough for either Bayern Munich or Manchester United last summer.

Veteran defender Hummels, back at Dortmund after being lured away to Bayern in 2016, was calm and clever in the face of Mbappé's darting pace and movement. Ian Maatsen, who joined on loan from Chelsea in January following temporary spells in England's lower leagues with Charlton Athletic, Coventry City and Burnley, was solid at left-back.

Sancho returned in January, too, having been forced out at Manchester United following his public row with manager Erik ten Hag.

What must Ten Hag be thinking after watching the winger terrorise PSG with 12 successful take-ons -- the most in a Champions League semifinal since Lionel Messi in 2008. Had Fullkrug taken a golden opportunity in the second half after Sancho had danced his way to the byline and cut the ball back, Dortmund would be heading to France with an even greater advantage.

PSG also had their moments and twice hit the inside of the post through Mbappé and then Achraf Hakimi. Mbappé had a quiet night, but he was still able to make the 88,000 feverish home fans hold their breath whenever he collected the ball anywhere near goal.

At the final whistle, the Dortmund players clapped and danced in front of the "Yellow Wall," which started making a deafening noise more than an hour before kick-off and didn't stop.

Every PSG touch was greeted with ear-spitting whistles, and every tackle and pass from a player in yellow was met with a roar of approval loud enough to make it feel like the stadium was shaking in its foundations. When the result was finally confirmed after four minutes of stoppage time, the roof nearly lifted off into the spring sky.

It's perhaps no surprise that Dortmund haven't lost any of their past 11 home Champions League matches, a run only bettered by Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.

"Everybody knew that this wasn't going to be easy, this is the semifinal of the Champions League," said PSG coach Luis Enrique. "We must recognise that this is an exceptional stadium, with fans who know how to support their team. The dressing room is a bit down, especially after hitting the post twice. That's football. Sometimes it's wonderful, and then other times, that's how it goes."

PSG turned around a first-leg deficit against Barcelona in the last round and beat Dortmund 2-0 at home in the group stage in September.

It will be enough to give Enrique hope that a place in the final is still up for grabs, and with Mbappé anything is possible. But Dortmund's team full of players overlooked and underappreciated have put themselves in pole position. Win or draw in Paris, and their underdog story leads all the way to Wembley.

- Rob Dawson, Correspondent

REAL MADRID TEAMMATES RAVE ABOUT KROSS: 'MAKES THINGS EASIER'

FILIP SINGER/EFE

 Vinícius Júnior said Toni Kroos "makes things easy" after the veteran midfielder provided the pass for the first of the Brazilian's two goals in Real Madrid's 2-2 draw at Bayern Munich on Tuesday.

Vinicius opened the scoring in the 24th minute, converting Kroos' pinpoint throughball, before goals from Leroy Sané and Harry Kane put Bayern ahead. Vinicius then converted a late penalty to leave the Champions League semifinal all square ahead of the second leg in Madrid next week.

The Brazil international has now scored five goals in eight Champions League appearances this season. But, speaking after the game, he highlighted the contribution of Kroos, 34, instead.

"Toni always makes things easy," Vinicius told Movistar. "He gifted me a goal. We practice a lot together in training. I know Toni very well, and he knows me. I'm very happy to have scored two goals. Now we need a magic night at home."

Kroos, who is returning to the Germany team ahead of this summer's Euro in his home country, downplayed the connection that resulted in Madrid's opening goal with their only shot in the first half.

"Vini allowed me to make the pass with his movement," Kroos told reporters. "He opened up the gap. The pass wasn't so special.

"What a pass! Incredible," teammate Rodrygo said. "Age doesn't matter. [Kroos] has always got that skill, that class that I love to see."

Madrid's knack for scoring goals out of nothing is a trait that plays on rivals' minds as Bayern midfielder Leon Goretzka acknowledged after the final whistle.

"We let Vinícius out our eye for a bit and then there was a huge hole," Goretzka said. "There wasn't the feeling that something dangerous could happen but that's the quality of Real and you need to be ready for it all the time.

"We had that last season too against Paris with Neymar and [Kylian] Mbappé, they're just players with unbelievable quality. It's extremely dangerous when they're up front. You always have to have a top defense and of course you can't march forward blindly, no question."

With Madrid behind and under pressure, Rodrygo won the penalty in the 83rd minute, forcing a clumsy challenge from Kim Min-Jae as he worked his way through the area, giving Vinicius the chance to equalise.

"This is the Champions League, it will always be like that," Rodrygo said. "In the moments when people think you're dead, that's when you can be dangerous."

"It's a good result," coach Carlo Ancelotti said. "We could have done better. Our best moment was at the start of the second half, and that's when they scored twice. They showed their best version today, and we didn't. But we have time to show it next Wednesday.

"The feeling was that we were comfortable, but we lacked intensity. We gave them too many chances to take control of the game. We didn't want to play in a low block and we went on doing that. We were soft."

Ancelotti said he'd substituted Jude Bellingham, who had a quiet night, in the 75th minute because he was suffering from cramp.

"He'll get back to his best level," Ancelotti said. "He had an injury, which has affected him a lot. Today he wasn't at his best but he'll be back soon, he'll be 100% for Wednesday."

Madrid play Cadiz in LaLiga on Saturday -- and could clinch the league title if results go their way -- before hosting Bayern at the Santiago Bernabeu on May 8.

- Alex Kirkland, ESPN FC

REAL MADRID FILES COMPLAINT TO PROSECUTOR AND SOCCER FEDERATION AFTER MORE FAN ABUSE OF VINICIUS

AP Photo

 MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid filed a new complaint with Spanish state prosecutors on Monday following reports of more hate chants aimed at forward Vinícius Júnior in the Spanish league.

The club also filed a complaint with the Spanish Football Federation disciplinary committee against the referee of Saturday's match at Osasuna for not including in his match report the alleged “Die, Vinícius” chants by local fans at El Sadar Stadium.

Madrid called the match report by referee Juan Martínez Munuera “negligent.”

“The official omitted, in voluntary and deliberate fashion, the insults and humiliating chants directed towards our player on a repeated basis, despite his attention being drawn to them continually by our players as they were happening,” Madrid said in a statement late Monday.

Madrid last week asked prosecutors to investigate reported racist chants targeting the Brazil international outside the stadiums of Atletico Madrid and Barcelona before their Champions League games.

Madrid has asked prosecutors to try to “identify the perpetrators of the abuse” against its player.

“Real Madrid once again condemns these violent attacks of racism, discrimination and hate and demands that measures finally be taken in order to eradicate the violence to which our player Vinícius Júnior has been subjected,” the club said.

On Thursday, Vinícius retweeted a video that showed Atletico fans jumping and chanting “Vinícius chimpanzee” before the team played Inter Milan on Wednesday.

There were also reports of hate chants against Vinícius before the Barcelona-Napoli match on Tuesday, when Barcelona fans also allegedly chanted “Die, Vinícius” before the team’s 3-1 win.

Vinícius, who is Black, has been relentlessly targeted by racist slurs during away games in Spain, especially in the last two seasons.

The Spanish league has also reported some of the abuse aimed at Vinícius to Spanish prosecutors.

In 2023, Atletico fans hanged an effigy of Vinícius from a bridge in Madrid before a city derby. Prosecutors sought four-year prison sentences for the four hardcore fans accused by authorities of committing the act.

- TALES AZZONI

XAVI SAYS 'SORRY' TO BARCELONA'S FANS AFTER CLASICO LOSS IN SUPARCOPA

The loss against Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final will increase the pressure on Barcelona manager Xavi as his team sits fourth in the LaLiga standings. Photo by Stringer/Anadolu via Getty Images

Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández repeatedly apologized to the club's supporters after Sunday's 4-1 humbling at the hands of Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia.

Vinícius Júnior scored a first-half hat-trick at Al-Awwal Park, including two in the first 10 minutes, and Rodrygo Goes completed the rout in the second half as Madrid inflicted revenge on Barça for last year's defeat in the final.

Robert Lewandowski had briefly helped Barça back into the game at 2-1, but Vinícius' third goal, via a penalty, killed off any hopes of a Clásico comeback before the break.

"I am disappointed and sad," Xavi told Movistar after the match. "This is football and today we have to deal with the painful side of the game.

"It is a shame. We had a lot of hope going into the final and we've produced our worst performance. We started badly, we had a chance to come back, but the penalty killed the game.

"We were never comfortable. Madrid did a lot of damage on the counter and in transition. We apologise to the fans, we didn't compete, but I've experienced a lot of defeats with this club. Barça will come back."