MADRID (AP) — Actual Madrid drew 1-1 with Leipzig on Wednesday to advance to the quarterfinals of the Champions League for the fourth straight season on a day wherein coach Carlo Ancelotti was accused of tax fraud by Spanish tax authorities.
Madrid was outplayed throughout elements of the match on the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium however superior 2-1 on combination due to its 1-0 win within the first leg in Germany three weeks in the past.
Vinícius Júnior put the hosts forward after an help by Jude Bellingham within the sixty fifth and a gritty Leipzig aspect equalized with captain Willi Orbán within the 68th.
Leipzig had a number of possibilities to tug off the upset after a lackluster efficiency by Madrid, the document 14-time European champion. Dani Olmo’s try hit the crossbar in stoppage time.
“It was a nasty match, we didn’t play nicely,” Ancelotti stated. “They’ve high quality and performed with nothing to lose, whereas we had the brakes on. We suffered ultimately however what mattered was to achieve the quarterfinals and we did it.”
The match got here after prosecutors in Madrid accused Ancelotti of defrauding Spanish tax authorities of 1 million euros in 2014 and 2015 throughout his first stint with the membership. Prosecutors are searching for a jail sentence of 4 years and 9 months for the Italian coach, claiming he used a shell firm to cover elements of his revenue from picture rights.
Ancelotti addressed the accusations after the match.
“It’s an previous story that began eight years in the past due to a tax declaration for 2015,” Ancelotti stated. “The tax authority says that I used to be a resident on the time and I don’t suppose that I used to be a resident. I already paid the high quality, the cash is with them, and now the attorneys are speaking to attempt to discover a answer. I’m satisfied that I’m harmless, that I used to be not a resident in 2015, and so they suppose that I used to be a resident. Let’s see what the decide says.”
Within the different round-of-16 match on Wednesday, defending champion Manchester Metropolis defeated Copenhagen 3-1 at house to advance 6-2 on combination.
Madrid acquired off to a gradual begin and struggled in opposition to a Leipzig crew that was nicely arrange. The German aspect threatened on a number of events, forcing Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin to make a couple of good saves. There have been some jeers by the group on the Bernabeu at halftime, when Madrid completed with no makes an attempt on the right track.
“Mission achieved,” Madrid defender Nacho Fernández stated. “It wasn’t our greatest match this season. They performed nicely and we didn’t, however we now have to be joyful as a result of we’re within the quarterfinals of the Champions League.”
The hosts lastly broke the impasse with Vinícius Júnior scoring from inside the realm after a cross by Bellingham following a breakaway.
However Leipzig stored urgent and equalized three minutes later with a header by Orbán after a well-placed cross by David Raum.
Leipzig wished a pink card for Vinícius Júnior after he shoved an opponent early within the second half, however the referee confirmed the Brazil ahead a yellow.
“We have been shut, simply wanted to be just a little bit extra environment friendly,” Olmo stated. “We performed the 180 minutes with high quality, we deserved a bit extra. However in opposition to Madrid it’s a must to play quite a bit higher than them to have the ability to win.”
Since being eradicated within the spherical of 16 in 2019-20, Madrid has reached at the very least the semifinals every season. It gained its record-extending 14th European title in 2022.
Leipzig was taking part in within the competitors’s knockout spherical for the fourth time in 5 seasons, having reached the semifinals in 2019-20, when it misplaced to Paris Saint-Germain. It was eradicated within the spherical of 16 the final two seasons.
Madrid has drawn 4 of its final seven matches in all competitions. It has a seven-point lead over Girona within the Spanish league.
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