Real Madrid walked away from Celtic Park in Glasgow this Tuesday with a solid 3-0 victory. While Celtic put up a fight, the defending champions proved too strong, ensuring their title defense started with three points. After a first half where the hosts came close multiple times, Madrid dominated the second period of the Group F clash, scoring through Vinicius Junior, Luka Modric, and Eden Hazard. This result gave manager Carlo Ancelotti his first winning experience playing at Celtic Park.
Madrid faced a setback early on when Karim Benzema was forced off the pitch after 30 minutes of play. While Ancelotti later hinted that the injury likely isn't serious, the loss of the French striker added to the tension of a frantic first half played before a roaring home crowd.
Celtic came out swinging, putting Madrid under immense pressure throughout the first 45 minutes. The Spanish giants struggled to find their rhythm as the Scottish side played with high energy, utilizing a fierce press and rapid counter-attacks. For a while, it looked like a shock result was possible, though Celtic failed to convert their dominance into goals before halftime.
Liel Abada missed a couple of promising chances for the Israelis; one effort was blocked by Eder Militao, while another went straight to Thibaut Courtois. Additionally, Celtic skipper Callum McGregor saw his shot rattle the woodwork.
Early in the second half, Daizen Maeda had a golden opportunity to score for the hosts but failed to convert. This mistake proved costly, as Madrid struck back in the 56th minute. Vinicius Junior opened the scoring, meeting a precise low cross from Federico Valverde at the far post to finish calmly.
The lead was doubled just four minutes later following a sharp counter-attack. Eden Hazard showed a flash of his former brilliance with a driving run through the middle, setting up Luka Modric, who slotted the ball home from close range.
Eden Hazard capped off the scoring in the 77th minute, netting his second Champions League goal of the tournament. The play developed when Kroos lopped a ball over the defense to Dani Carvajal, who squared it for Hazard to tap in. In the end, Real Madrid's quality told, as they ruthlessly outplayed Celtic in the second half.