Brahim Díaz’s sumptuous solo strike gives Real Madrid edge over RB Leipzig

RB Leipzig 0 Real Madrid 1

Well, were you really expecting two perfect Real Madrid performances in a row? This is simply not how Madrid do things.

They harness their energies, take as much pride in the ugly as the beautiful, simply do the next thing that is required of them. And so after the evisceration of Girona came the last stand against RB Leipzig, a gruff, grizzled, grimacing win in which they spent long periods without the ball.

Their one moment of grace came courtesy of Brahim Díaz, who scored a wonderful goal early in the second half before limping off late on with a hamstring injury. Beyond that it was a largely even game, and if there was a note of regret for the home side here, it lay in those missed chances in the first half, the missed opportunities to force Madrid out of their comfort zone.

Though Leipzig continued to push in the later stages, they had retained very little of the lawless chaos of those early skirmishes, the same chaos that has always defined their best sides.

In short, they looked exactly what they are: an evolving, richly talented team weighed down by the increased expectation to deliver.

And these have been trying times at the headquarters of European football’s leading energy drink project. There has been talk of entropy, talk of crisis, talk about the ruthless Rasenball pressing machine not being what it was.

Three defeats coming off the winter break had led to intense speculation over the future of the coach, Marco Rose.

But initially at least, there was very little of that frailty on display here, as a disciplined Leipzig kept Madrid at arm’s length for long periods, moved the ball sharply through midfield and probably should have taken the lead.

Indeed, you probably have to go back