Real Madrid vs CSKA Moscow. UEFA Champions League Group G.
Santiago BernabeuAttendance51,636.
Report as CSKA inflict heaviest home European defeat on Real Madrid but bow out of Europe
Wednesday 12 December 2018 21:44, UK
CSKA Moscow completed a remarkable double over Real Madrid but their 3-0 victory at the Bernabeu proved in vain as they crashed out of Europe.
Goals from Fedor Chalov and Georgi Schennikov had Real two down at half-time in a Champions League home game for the first time since 2000.
Arnor Sigurdsson then confirmed Madrid's heaviest home defeat in Europe with CSKA's third on 73 minutes.
But CSKA's hopes of qualifying for the Europa League were dashed by Viktoria Plzen, who beat Roma 2-1 to finish third behind the Italians and Group G winners Real.
With Madrid already qualified as group winners, Santi Solari picked an inexperienced side as Vinicius Junior, Federico Valverde and Javi Sanchez made their first Champions League starts.
Vinicius Junior was lively in the opening exchanges at the sparsely-populated Bernabeu, while a more familiar name, Marco Asensio, was Real's main threat.
Asensio clipped the top of the bar on 24 minutes and drew Igor Akinfeev into a fingertip save five minutes later as Real applied pressure on the CSKA goal.
Karim Benzema saw a low drive from a corner blocked by Rodrigo Becao on the half hour, but it was not long before Asensio was back in the thick of it as the Spaniard played a one-two with Benzema and fired a shot straight at Akinfeev.
But Real were stunned on 37 minutes when Sigurdsson offloaded the ball to Chalov on the edge of the area, and the striker caressed a sumptuous effort into the far corner past Thibaut Courtois.
It took just five minutes for CSKA to double their lead as Schennikov arrived late on the scene to convert a rebound after Mario Fernandes had drawn Courtois into action.
With Bayern Munich the last side to hold a two-goal advantage at half-time at the Bernabeu 18 years ago, Solari turned to Gareth Bale to salvage the situation.
But with the exception of a chance for Asensio on 55 minutes, which the forward took an age to take before being blocked, Real created very little in front of an increasingly hostile home crowd.
And things took a turn for the worse 17 minutes from time when Sigurdsson slotted a precise shot through bodies into the bottom corner to wrap up a stunning victory for the Russian champions.
The centre-forward set CSKA on their way to a famous victory with a well-taken opener and played a key role in their second at the Bernabeu. CSKA didn't get the result they ultimately wanted, but Chalov will be the toast of Moscow.
Real Madrid host Rayo Vallecano in La Liga at 5.30pm on Saturday before travelling to the UAE for the FIFA Club World Cup.