Thirty-five attempts, two goals. The Bernabéu witnessed a measured, watchful performance from Real Madrid as they chased a victory that nearly slipped away. The night hinged on creative sparks from a Shakhtar that refused to surrender, and on Karim Benzema guiding Rodrygo, Vinícius, and Federico Valverde through a display that hinted at triumph even as doubt lingered. The win would have been sweet, but the aftermath left a lesson in focus and resilience for the capital club.
Carlo Ancelotti set the tone with his starting XI, a deliberate message to the squad and a reminder to the visitors that there would be no stepping back after a troubling result against Osasuna the previous weekend. The Ukrainians brought their most accomplished lineup to Madrid, with Lunin stepping in for an injured Thibaut Courtois and Luka Modrić managing a return to the bench after earlier niggles. Up front, Benzema found himself flanked by Rodrygo and Vinícius, while Shakhtar leaned on the pace and nerve of their young trio Shev, Mudryk, and Zubikov for inspiration in attack.
Benzema’s Stradivarius
From the outset, Real Madrid pressed to pin Donbass back in their own half. They found a breakthrough soon enough, Valverde bursting through on the left at thirteen minutes and threading a pass to Benzema while Rodrygo timed his movement to perfection. Rodrygo finished with a composed strike into the far corner, a shoulder-to-shoulder collaboration that echoed a measured harmony between Benzema and his teammates. The combination play was a study in balance, with Benzema guiding the tempo and Rodrygo adding a sharp, improvisational rhythm that complemented Vinícius’s bursts. The scene was set for a performance that resembled a well-tuned instrument, a Stradivarius of a team in flight.
Great goal from Real Madrid! Great goal from Vini Jr. #HouseofFootball #UCL pic.twitter.com/FXBMcLeopB
– Football on Movistar Plus+ (@MovistarFootball) October 5, 2022
Ancelotti exhaled a momentary sigh of relief after seeing Madrid dominate the Champions League night with purposeful ball movement, smart pressing, and chances created in quick succession. The second goal arrived through a chorus of Valverde, Benzema, Rodrygo, and Viníus as they orchestrated a fluent sequence that found the back of the net. Madrid’s gala attack seemed to move in harmony, while Shakhtar’s response drifted into complacency, leaving Trubin to stand as the last line of resistance. The Ukrainian keeper did his part, even as an unfortunate counterattack gave Zubkov an opportunity that briefly stirred anxiety in the stands. Madrid’s grip on the game remained firm, but the sense of danger persisted as the clock ticked on.
If the first half felt like a recital, the second half morphed into a siege. Madrid pressed relentlessly and controlled the tempo, yet the Argentine-born opposition remained dangerous on the break. Mudryk briefly unsettled Lunin, but the tale did not pivot in his team’s favor, and Trubin continued to earn his wage by making decisive saves. In the forward motion of the game, the front four for Madrid—Valverde, Benzema, Rodrygo, and Vinícius—found opportunities that did not always end in goals, testing a crowd that wanted a more decisive result than the scoreboard could deliver. Ancelotti watched with calm intensity as substitutions offered fresh legs, but the ideas did not always translate into a second breakthrough.
There was little to fault Madrid for in the overall performance, aside from the unforgiving nature of football’s margins. Shakhtar’s plan hinged on tempo and youthfulness, chances arriving in bursts as they pressed Madrid’s back line. The visitors departed with a sense of what could have been after a hard-fought battle, while Madrid walked away knowing they had played with tempo and purpose that night. The match finished with renewed questions about finishing quality and a reminder that pace and persistence can tilt even the most meticulous plans in football’s unpredictable theatre.
There was no explicit blame to place on Madrid’s squad other than the absence of a more clinical finish. Shakhtar collected their share of chances in the waning minutes, as the home side’s intensity waned slightly, leaving the outcome less certain than the early momentum suggested. In the end, the capital club preserved the result through a disciplined performance that reflected their enduring status in European competition.
Card: Real Madrid 2- Shakhtar 1
Real Madrid: Lunin; Carvajal, Militao, Alaba, Mendy; Valverde, Tchouameni (Camavinga 74′), Kroos; Rodrygo (Asensio 79′), Benzema and Vinicius.
Shakhtar: Turbine; Mykhaylichenko, Bondar, Matviienko, Kopolya; Stepanenko (Traore 87′); Shved (Petriak 67′), Bondarenko, Sudakov (Djurasek 87′), Mudryk; Zubkov (Sikan 67′).
Targets: 1-0 Rodrygo (13′), 2-0 Vinicius (28′), 2-1 Zubkov (39′)
Judge: Ivan Kruzliak (Slovakia). Warned Bondar.
Stadium: Santiago Bernabéu.