Real Madrid close out preseason with win over Chelsea as Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes start | OneFootball

Real Madrid have closed out their preseason with a win over Chelsea, following consecutive defeats against AC Milan and Barcelona. It was a match that saw some of the heavyweights return to action in Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes, who both started.

Both were given 66 minutes before being withdrawn for Nico Paz and Juanmi Latasa, and Vinicius was key in the winner. Real Madrid started off well and were carving open the Chelsea defence regularly when Brahim Diaz laid the ball off for Lucas Vazquez to strike. His effort was deflected and rolled into the corner past Filip Jorgensen.

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Vinicius then slid an angled ball behind the defence, and Brahim did well to round Jorgensen before finishing from a tight angle. He would pick up the man of the match award in the end. Chelsea did manage to turn the tide though, and after Raheem Sterling could not find a teammate with a ball across the six-yard box, Enzo Fernandez did find Noni Madueke five minutes before half-time.

His soft header into the far corner cut the deficit at the break, when Andriy Lunin came on. He was forced into a good save early on. That kept Real Madrid in front, but thereafter there was little to report in terms of the game, which gradually lost air as it went on.

Carlo Ancelotti will now have to assess the fitness of his squad when they return to Madrid, as they prepare for a trip to Poland to face Atalanta in the European Supercup. Brahim, young defender Joan Martinez and Castilla midfielder Mario Martin probably did themselves the most good during their trip to the USA.