Real Madrid teenagers Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo fire team to victory at Brugge

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:18 am

JAVIER SORIANO/AFP/Getty Images

Brazilian teenagers Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior were on target as Real Madrid secured a 3-1 victory at Club Brugge to end their Champions League Group A campaign on a positive note at the Jan Breydelstadion on Wednesday.

Luka Modric added a superb late third for Real, who were already assured of second place in the group and a place in the knockout stages before the start of the game.

Brugge end third in the group and will drop into the Europa League after Hans Vanaken scored their lone goal.

Real coach Zinedine Zidane made eight changes from the side that drew 2-2 with Paris Saint-Germain in the previous matchday, with the likes of Eden Hazard, Karim Benzema, Toni Kroos and Sergio Ramos all missing.

"I'm really happy. We wanted to play a serious game against a difficult team,"Zidane said. "We had problems early in the game but the second half was much better and we got a really good result. We didn't create a lot of chances but we were efficient."

Brugge were almost rewarded for their bright start when Real goalkeeper Alphonse Areola made an excellent point-blank save to deny Percy Tau.

At the other end, Simon Mignolet was equally athletic to keep out an effort from Luka Jovic, the latter part of a youthful Real front three that also included Rodrygo, 18, and Vinicius, 19.

"I'm happy to play and get some minutes," Vinicius Junior said. "I'm happy to score, I play to help the team. It's really important to score for any player. It's my first Champions League goal."

He was complimentary of his compatriot Rodrygo saying: "We're friends, I'm really happy for him. He's doing well, let's hope he carries on like this."

The visitors went ahead on 53 minutes when Alvaro Odriozola's cross was brilliantly volleyed into the bottom corner of the goal by Rodrygo, but that lead lasted only two minutes as Bonaventure set up Vanaken to curl home an equaliser.

Real hit the front again midway through the second period with an untidy goal as the ball ricocheted to Vinicius six yards out and his deflected shot earned him his first Champions League goal, before Modric curled in a late insurance strike.