Champions League

Real Madrid to Face Play-Offs After Beating Brest

Real Madrid secured a 3-0 victory over Brest with Rodrygo scoring twice and Jude Bellingham adding a third. However, despite the win, Madrid failed to finish in the top eight of the Champions League, meaning they must go through the play-offs to reach the round of 16. Results from other matches including victories for Bayer Leverkusen, Lille and Aston Villa, prevented Madrid from claiming an automatic spot in the knockout stage.

They will now face either Manchester City or Celtic in the play-offs. Real Madrid started slowly but dominated after Rodrygo scored a brilliant strike in the 27th minute. Brest had a scare when Ludovic Ajorque thought he had equalized but VAR ruled him offside. Bellingham doubled the lead early in the second half by finishing a cross from Lucas Vazquez and Rodrygo completed the win with a rebound goal.

Despite the victory, Madrid finished 11th in the standings, so the defending champions must now navigate a two-legged tie to defend their title. Brest in their debut Champions League campaign also progressed to the play-offs but will face a tough challenge against either Benfica or Paris Saint-Germain. Although Brest started strong, remaining unbeaten in their first four group games, they struggled in the latter stages losing four consecutive matches.

Madrid’s slow start to the campaign including losses to Liverpool and others, ultimately cost them an automatic last-16 spot. Their recent form has been strong but the damage already done earlier in the tournament means they now must take an extra step in their title defense. Despite being favorites in the upcoming play-offs, Madrid will feel disappointed about having to go through this additional hurdle.

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