Real Madrid's attack blazes, but defensive woes persist

The match, held at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, showcased the attacking prowess of Real Madrid but also highlighted ongoing defensive issues.

Manager Carlo Ancelotti expressed satisfaction with the performance of his forwards. "We have fulfilled our objective. Winning and trying to play a good game. A bit soft in the beginning, but then we fixed that and played really well," Ancelotti said after the match.

Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo each scored twice, with Kylian Mbappe also finding the net. "Obviously, there is no doubt about the quality of our players up-front. We are trying to fix the rest," Ancelotti remarked, acknowledging the team's offensive efficiency while pointing out the need for defensive improvements.

The game started somewhat shakily for Real Madrid, with Salzburg showing early promise. Oscar Gloukh of Salzburg nearly scored, but his shot narrowly missed the target.

However, the tide turned with Real Madrid's first shot on target; Rodrygo opened the scoring with a well-taken finish after a pass from Vinicius Jr was inadvertently redirected by Jude Bellingham. Rodrygo then doubled his tally with a stunning curling shot from outside the box.

The second half saw no let-up in Madrid's attack. Mbappe capitalized on a goalkeeper mistake by Blaswich to score, and Vinicius added another with a precise finish off a Modric through ball.

Despite the onslaught, Blaswich managed a commendable save from Brahim Diaz, but Madrid's fifth came from a beautiful team move finished by Vinicius.

Despite the offensive showcase, Ancelotti was candid about the defensive lapses. "Sometimes we do well and sometimes we do less well, but we're on a good run. I'm not angry about conceding a goal, we did well at the back today," he said, highlighting the collective effort needed in defense.

"Ruediger was very good today, Alaba is finally back, Asencio is good... It's a collective problem we have. That's the key this year. If we can have collective commitment we will be successful and we will be able to take full advantage of the quality we have up-front."

Reflecting on Real Madrid's campaign so far, Ancelotti noted the importance of winning the last group game to potentially secure a top-eight finish for direct qualification to the round of 16. "You never know what could happen... Only one thing is clear: we have to win the last game and that's nothing new at this club. We have to win all the games if you are at Real Madrid," he concluded.

With this victory, Real Madrid have secured at least a playoff spot, but their final position in the group stage remains undecided. 

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