Real Madrid beat RB Leipzig 4-1 at the Bernabéu to stay perfect in the Champions League

The result

Real Madrid beat RB Leipzig 4-1 at the Santiago Bernabéu on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, in the third round of the UEFA Champions League league phase, according to match reports from Yahoo Sports, Al Jazeera and Bundesliga.com. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

Bernardo Silva put Madrid ahead shortly before half-time, scoring from a loose ball after Leipzig goalkeeper Maarten Vandevoordt saved an Arda Güler shot, according to time.news. Reports differ slightly on the minute, with Bundesliga.com giving 44. ^{[1] [4]}

Güler made it 2-0 in the 52nd minute, heading in a Mbappé cross at the far post. Mbappé added a third in the 83rd minute with a shot from the edge of the area after a pass from Diomande, who had come on as a substitute, Bundesliga.com and time.news reported. ^{[1] [4]}

Leipzig pulled one back through Tidiam Gomis in the 85th minute, assisted by Christoph Baumgartner, who had returned to the matchday squad after a long injury layoff. Diomande, who previously played for Leipzig, then scored Madrid's fourth at about the 87th minute, set up by Brahim Díaz, per Bundesliga.com. ^{[1] [4]}

Lineups and the Clásico

Madrid coach José Mourinho made wholesale changes, Bundesliga.com reported, starting Rüdiger, Carreras, Camavinga, Silva and Vinícius Júnior. He brought on Cucurella and Diomande in the 70th minute. Leipzig coach Demichelis made three changes after the club's league defeat to Bayern Munich. ^[1]

Madrid next face Barcelona in La Liga on Sunday. Al Jazeera noted that Barcelona lost at Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday. Time.news quoted Mourinho on the Clásico: "for the Clásico, there is no overconfidence." ^{[3] [4]}

Vinícius is serving a four-match La Liga ban and cannot play again until November 4, Al Jazeera reported. ^[3]

Standings and background

Madrid have won all three of their league-phase matches, Al Jazeera said, and time.news put their tally at nine points. Al Jazeera added that it was their fourth consecutive win in all competitions, but that the club has no major trophy in two seasons and has had a shaky domestic start. ^{[3] [4]}

Diomande is described by Al Jazeera as Madrid's record signing at a reported 140 million euros. Time.news said Madrid extended their record of scoring in consecutive home European matches to 45, beating the previous mark of 44; that figure was not in the other reports reviewed. ^{[3] [4]}

Time.news also said goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made two key first-half saves, against Rômulo Cardoso and Christopher Nkunku. Earlier meetings between the clubs, in 2022/23 and 2023/24, produced two Madrid wins, one Leipzig win and one draw, it reported. ^[4]

What comes next

Leipzig host Manchester City on November 4, Bundesliga.com reported. Al Jazeera said Madrid's next Champions League match is at AEK Athens on the same date. ^{[1] [3]}