Rodrygo set the tone early, scoring twice in the first half to give Los Blancos a comfortable lead at the break. The second half began in dramatic fashion, as Mbappé capitalized on a costly error by Salzburg goalkeeper Blaswich to tap into an open net just three minutes after the restart.
VinÃcius then took over, scoring two stunning goals in quick succession. In the 55th minute, he sprinted past Dedić to hammer home Luka Modrić’s pass, and later added a composed finish from a Federico Valverde assist following a swift counterattack.
Despite Madrid’s dominance, Salzburg managed a consolation goal in the 85th minute when Mads Bidstrup volleyed home inside the box, denying Carlo Ancelotti’s side a long-awaited clean sheet in the competition.
Madrid controlled the game throughout, boasting the majority of possession and finishing well beyond their expected goals (xG) of 2.70. Salzburg, limited to an xG of 0.58, struggled to threaten the hosts.
Next Wednesday, Madrid will look to extend their winning run as they visit Brest, while Salzburg, now in 34th place, host Atletico Madrid in a bid to salvage some pride.
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