Ukrainian goalkeeper Andrey Lunin delivered his standout performance of the season in his Champions League debut, making nine crucial saves to keep a clean sheet. This solidified his position as the starting goalkeeper for Carlo Ancelotti in both competitions where Real Madrid is still in contention.

Ancelotti had already chosen Lunin as the main goalkeeper in LaLiga EA Sports, and Tuesday's match was the only uncertainty regarding whether he would rotate goalkeepers in the Champions League, as he did in his
first stint at Real Madrid. However, Ancelotti opted for consistency, sticking with Lunin between the posts.

Brahim's Masterpiece Secure Victory for Real Madrid

Lunin responded emphatically, making nine saves in the 90 minutes, matching the number made by Thibaut Courtois in the 2022 Champions League final against Liverpool. These nine saves equaled the previous record
for a Real Madrid goalkeeper, and Lunin achieved this feat in his second consecutive clean sheet, despite facing very different challenges from not having a single shot on target against Girona to stopping all attempts in
Leipzig.

These weren't just routine saves. Two of them were particularly noteworthy, both in one-on-one situations with Benjamin Sesko. One occurred in the tenth minute, using his legs to deflect the shot, and the other came in the
81st minute with a strong low save that preserved the 1-0 lead, ultimately the final score.

Lunin had a standout performance against one of the emerging talents in Leipzig and European football, Sesko, denying him in one-on-one situations and making a crucial anticipation by quickly coming out of the box and going down with his feet to prevent another clear goal-scoring opportunity.

Real Madrid Hero Injured!

He also displayed confidence in aerial play, a point Ancelotti emphasized before the match as crucial for success. In total, Lunin made three decisive punches to clear the danger.

In response, several teammates, including Vinicius, Tchouameni, and Brahim Díaz himself, praised the goalkeeper's outstanding performance and emphasized that it was thanks to him that they won the first leg of the Champions League round of 16.

His impeccable performance definitively secured Lunin's position as the first-choice goalkeeper for Real Madrid. Additionally, Lunin was involved in a key moment when a Leipzig goal was disallowed in the second minute due to the referee determining that Mohamed Simakan, in an offside position, obstructed Lunin during a corner kick.

"There was a corner. I punched it away, but a player was with me without challenging for the ball and was bothering me. It can be interpreted as a foul," explained Lunin after a match that echoed Courtois's achievements and solidified his place in the team.