Real Madrid beat Union Berlin 3-2

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.

Alex Kral gave the home side hope late, scoring Union's second just after coming on, but Real regained the lead moments later, Dani Ceballos' deflected shot dribbling into the net late on.

Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti reflected on the "slightly unusual match" saying his side had the game "well controlled for 40 minutes and then two mad minutes made it complicated for us."

Home coach Nenad Bjelica said "Real Madrid make you run a lot, until you're running on empty -- but that also happens to better teams than Union Berlin."

As they did in Madrid and in Berlin against Braga, Union conceded a late goal to drop points. Bjelica said "there's been a lot of bad luck there."

All they want to do is secure the bragging rights of a 100 percent record and also make sure there are no injuries to report. As for Union Berlin, they already know that they cannot progress from the group stage of their maiden Champions League campaign.

The best they can hope for is a victory against Real Madrid, and a win for Napoli against Braga in the other game. That would mean that the German side go into the Europa League. They currently sit 15th in the Bundesliga after a very poor start to the season

Despite the late kickoff and early start for school the next morning, many had brought their children to the game, knowing it was a rare opportunity to see arguably Europe’s most storied club in person.

They stayed long after the final whistle to celebrate the team’s effort despite its exit from European competition for this season. Union was only promoted to the Bundesliga for the first time in 2019 and few foresaw at the time that the club could be playing in the Champions League four years later.

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Sarah H

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