Brahim Diaz provided a stunning response to the challenge of deputising for the injured Jude Bellingham by firing Real Madrid to a 1-0 Champions League victory at RB Leipzig.
Diaz’s superb 48th-minute solo effort secured a last-16 win at the Red Bull Arena to put the Spanish side in the driving seat ahead of the second leg at the Bernabeu, although he later limped off in a fresh blow for boss Carlo Ancelotti.
His intervention could hardly have been better timed with 20-goal England international Bellingham facing two to three weeks on the sidelines with a sprained ankle and the 14-time European champions misfiring for long periods in his absence.
Indeed, had Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko made the most of the chances which came his way and Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin not been in inspired form, the Spaniards might have had significantly more work to do on their own pitch.
The hosts set out their stall from the off when Sesko headed into the net after Xaver Schlager had helped the ball back into the box from Lunin’s punch as he dealt with David Raum’s second-minute corner.
However, the assistant referee’s flag went up immediately and the goal was disallowed, with replays showing Sesko was not offside but team-mate Benjamin Henrichs, who made contact with Lunin, was.
Sesko might have had a hat-trick inside the opening 10 minutes, failing to make the most of Xavi Simons’ fine pass and then firing straight at Lunin, although in the meantime, Real defender Aurelien Tchouameni saw a ninth-minute header cleared off the line, with keeper Peter Gulacsi safely claiming Eduardo Camavinga’s follow-up.
Henrichs tested Lunin from distance, but Toni Kroos responded in kind to keep Gulacsi on his toes after Vinicius Jr had made his first real contribution down the left.
Camavinga got in a vital touch to deflect Sesko’s 20th-minute attempt into the side-netting as Real continued to look vulnerable at the back, with Tchouameni having to make a vital challenge to deny Sesko before Vinicius stabbed wide after exchanging passes with Diaz in stoppage time.
But Bellingham’s replacement broke the deadlock within three minutes of the restart, and he did so in spectacular fashion.
Picking up the ball wide on the right, Diaz span away from Raum and cut inside Simons and then Schlager before curling a left-foot shot across Gulacsi and inside the far post.
Leipzig would have been level almost immediately had Lunin not produced a double save from Dani Olmo and Sesko, and the keeper had to race from his line to prevent Sesko from latching onto Olmo’s excellent through-ball as the Germans fought for a way back into the game.
At the other end, Schlager did just enough to put off Rodrygo as he ran onto Vinicius’ 64th-minute pass after Real had broken at pace, and the Brazilian saw a shot come back off a post after he and Diaz had ripped the home defence to shreds with 19 minutes remaining.
Lunin produced a string of saves to deny Simons, Sesko and Amadou Haidara as Leipzig pushed for an equaliser, but the late assault proved to no avail.
RB Leipzig 4-1 Borussia Dortmund: Hosts strengthen grip on fourth with crushing win
Champions League semi-finalists Borussia Dortmund suffered a crushing 4-1 Bundesliga defeat at the hands of RB Leipzig on Saturday, denting their hopes of a top-four finish.
Manchester United loanee Jadon Sancho put Dortmund ahead after 20 minutes with a curling effort from the left corner of the box, but Edin Terzic's team couldn't hold on.
Lois Openda levelled within three minutes, and Benjamin Sesko pounced with a close-range finish to put Leipzig ahead on the stroke of half-time.
Mohamed Simakan made it 3-1 just one minute after the restart, then Christoph Baumgartner came off the bench to add a fourth with 10 minutes to play.
Dortmund, who host Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie on Wednesday, stay fifth, five points behind fourth-placed Leipzig.
They will likely have to wait on confirmation of Germany earning a fifth Champions League qualification place for next season, which was made more likely by a dismal set of results for England's clubs throughout the European quarter-finals earlier this month.
Data Debrief: Dynamic duo lead Leipzig to victory
Goals from Openda and Sesko ensured Leipzig turned Saturday's game around before the halfway point, both players netting in their fourth successive Bundesliga game together.
They are the first pair of team-mates to achieve that feat since Dortmund's Marco Reus and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang did so in February 2015.
Fulham 1-1 Crystal Palace: Schlupp strikes late to give visitors deserved point
Substitute Jeffrey Schlupp scored a thunderous late equaliser to give Crystal Palace a point as they battled back to draw 1-1 with Fulham in a London derby at Craven Cottage.
Schlupp equalised with just three minutes remaining, firing a long-range strike into the roof of the net to extend Palace’s unbeaten run to four Premier League games.
Rodrigo Muniz had given Fulham the lead early in the second half, the striker converting Timothy Castagne’s cross to break the deadlock after visitors Palace had controlled the first half.
Fulham and Palace sit 13th and 14th respectively in Premier League table, with just three points separating them.
Palace started on the front foot and Michael Olise passed up the first chance of the game after Adam Wharton’s defence-splitting pass found the forward inside the penalty area.
Frustratingly for Oliver Glasner’s visitors, they were unable to test Bernd Leno in the Fulham goal early on despite making a strong start to the game.
In-form striker Jean-Philippe Mateta swung at Daniel Munoz’s near-post cross but saw his effort fly over the crossbar.
Chris Richards then leapt highest from Olise’s in-swinging free kick delivery, but the defender could not direct his header on target from close range.
Fulham remained pinned back in their own half, but the hosts were not giving up any clear-cut chances, with Wharton and Olise both trying their luck from 20 yards out.
The Cottagers managed to apply brief pressure to the Palace backline late in the first half and Dean Henderson had to be alert to keep out Muniz’s shot.
Fulham improved after the break and Muniz opened the scoring in the 52nd minute. After winning possession, the hosts quickly broke forward and Muniz headed in Castagne’s delightful delivery.
Bobby De Cordova-Reid lacked the required composure to double Fulham’s lead after a swift counter-attack found the forward free at the back post.
As Palace sought a way back into the game at the other end, substitute Odsonne Edouard nearly made an immediate impact, but Leno got down low to keep out his strike.
However, the visitors were not to be denied and it was fellow sub Schlupp who smashed in the equaliser courtesy of a fierce strike that left Leno rooted to the spot, with Wharton getting the assist.
Muniz back on track
While the late goal came as a blow, Marco Silva’s side continued their recent good form against Palace with this draw, extending their unbeaten run against their London rivals to five league games.
It was a frustrating first half for Fulham as they struggled to get out of their own half until the final moments and Henderson was largely a spectator before Muniz’s shot tested him.
Muniz had struggled to get into the game but it was he who grabbed the game’s first goal in the second half, heading in Castagne’s cross.
It got Muniz back on the scoresheet for the first time since netting against Sheffield United last month.
However, Silva’s side could not hold onto the three points despite a disciplined defensive performance.
It was also a good day for Alex Iwobi, who made his 250th Premier League appearance, becoming only the fourth Nigerian to do so.
Palace momentum continues
The Eagles saw their three-game winning streak come to an end in West London but grabbed a morale-boosting late point to maintain their momentum.
Schlupp’s strike was the quality moment they required to break down Fulham’s well-drilled defence.
Glasner’s team were the better of the two sides in the first half, with Wharton impressing in the middle of the park and Olise the most likely to be at the heart of any Palace threat.
Mateta had less of an impact, though, and the Eagles only managed one shot on target in the first half.
Not making the most of a positive opening period proved costly when they fell behind and they looked to be heading for defeat before Schlupp spectacularly salvaged a point.
Manchester United 1-1 Burnley: Late Amdouni penalty earns Burnley deserved point at Old Trafford
Burnley boosted their Premier League survival hopes after holding Manchester United to a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford.
Zeki Amdouni’s calm late penalty moved Burnley within two points of safety with three games remaining.
All the Clarets’ hard work appeared to be in vain when Antony broke the deadlock, but they responded well to ensure a hard-earned share of the spoils.
Burnley remain 19th but are now two points behind 17th-place Nottingham Forest, who host Manchester City on Sunday, while United stay sixth.
Although David Datro Fofana shot straight at Andre Onana inside the opening 30 seconds, United soon established their authority on proceedings with Christian Eriksen curling just wide and Fernandes rattling Arijanet Muric’s right post as they threatened the opening goal.
But the hosts had Onana to thank for keeping Burnley at bay as the first half went on. First, he tipped over Wilson Odobert’s long-range effort, before producing a magnificent reflex save to deny Foster.
Onana kept out Foster again while Alejandro Garnacho fired into the side-netting four minutes before half-time, as both sides returned to their dressing rooms still seeking the breakthrough.
Garnacho continued to carry United’s greatest threat after the break. The Argentine winger shot narrowly wide after a swift counter, before Muric pushed away his powerful volley from a corner.
However, the visitors gifted their opponents the opening goal in the 79th minute, as Antony intercepted Sander Berge’s loose pass before racing away and slotting past Muric.
But there was to be a late twist three minutes from time, when Amdouni coolly rolled home the equaliser from the penalty spot after VAR ruled Onana had fouled the Burnley striker.
Ton up for Fernandes as United stumble
United ended their four-game winless streak when they came from behind to beat Sheffield United in midweek.
However, they have not recorded successive victories since mid-February after Amdouni’s late penalty.
Bruno Fernandes did his best to rally the hosts, becoming the first player this season to create 100 or more chances.
It was in vain however, with Erik ten Hag’s side now having failed to keep a clean sheet in six attempts.
More Old Trafford joy for Kompany
Vincent Kompany won five of his nine Premier League visits to Old Trafford as a player (56 per cent), with only David Silva enjoying a higher success rate among opposing players with eight or more trips (75 per cent).
The Belgian was looking to become the third person to triumph here as a player and manager, after Steve Clarke and Mark Hughes.
While he could not quite achieve that, his side were more than deserving of a point following a spirited display against United.
Now with only one defeat in their last eight games, the Clarets have made themselves difficult to beat at a crucial time in the season, and they will hope it pays dividends in their quest for survival.
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