Percy Tau registered an assist on his Uefa Champions League debut as Club Brugge claimed a 2-2 draw with Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday evening.
The visitors stunned the Santiago Bernabeu in the first half through two goals from Emmanuel Bonaventure Dennis, but Sergio Ramos and Casemiro clawed back a point for Zinedine Zidane’s side.
A 3-0 defeat by Paris Saint-Germain on match-day one had led to some speculation over Zidane’s position as head coach and the nature of their first-half display against Brugge will have done little to ease the pressure.
The comeback, secured after Ruud Vormer’s red card, at least spared some of Madrid’s blushes and means they are only a point behind Brugge in Group A, who drew with Galatasaray in their opening match.
Dennis made a mess of Percy Tau’s low ninth-minute cross, but his poor touch saw the ball elude Thibaut Courtois and nestle in the Madrid net, with a VAR check sparing the visitors after an initial offside flag.
Simon Mignolet saved superbly from a Casemiro header, while Toni Kroos twice shot narrowly wide, but Madrid looked short of ideas in attack and pedestrian in possession.
It got worse six minutes before the break when Luka Modric’s careless pass sent Dennis through on goal and, after stumbling, he lofted the ball over Courtois and celebrated by mimicking former Madrid favourite Cristiano Ronaldo.
Zidane reacted by taking off Courtois – reportedly feeling unwell – and Nacho Fernandez for Alphonse Areola and Marcelo at half time, but Dennis almost made it three when he had a shot saved.
Captain Ramos then halved the deficit with a 55th-minute header from Karim Benzema’s cross, with VAR ruling the goal should stand after offsides was initially given.
Just as Madrid appeared to be running out of time and ideas, away skipper Vormer was sent off for a second booking and Casemiro steered Toni Kroos’ delivery beyond the stranded Mignolet to snatch a point with five minutes left.
What does it mean?
Madrid’s wretched European form puts Zidane under greater pressure
Madrid have not won any of their last three home games in the Champions League and were minutes away from a third defeat in a row in the competition for the first time since 1981.
They might be top of LaLiga, but this level of form in Europe will do nothing to strengthen Zidane’s position as coach as rumours build of a Jose Mourinho return, especially with new signings such as Luka Jovic failing to get off the bench again.
Qualification for the last 16 remains in their hands and the comeback was laudable, but this was still a humbling result in a worrying run of form.
Deli serves up a treat
Simon Deli barged aside Lucas Vazquez and Vinicius Junior on separate occasions, underlining an imperious performance at the heart of the Brugge defence.
Courtois’ Madrid plight continues
Even if his half-time withdrawal was beyond his control, this was not a positive outing for Courtois, who conceded two from three shots on target, the first of which was almost comical.
What’s next?
Madrid, who host Granada in LaLiga next up on Saturday, head to Galatasaray on Champions League match-day three on 22 October. Brugge host PSG on the same day.
