As well as stopping goals, Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos is doing a pretty good job of scoring them as well.
Always threatening from set-pieces, the Real captain is also the side’s designated penalty taker as well after Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure in 2018.
It was from a header that the 34-year-old Ramos reached scored his 100th goal for Real in Tuesday’s tense 3-2 win over Inter Milan in their Champions League Group B game.
Ramos nodded home a Toni Kroos corner to reach his century of goals as the Real captain played his part in helping revive the Madrid club’s chances of progressing from its Champions League group.
It was the Spanish side’s first win of this Champions League season, having previously been beaten at home by a depleted Shakhtar Donetsk team and scraping a draw against Borussia Monchengladbach last time out. Real has won the European Cup a record 13 times.
It was Ramos’ 55th headed goal for Real having played 659 times for the club and won 22 trophies during an illustrious career.
“Individual records are secondary, but it’s nice when your achievements, effort and sacrifices over the course of so many years are recognized,” the 34-year-old said after the victory.
“It’s not every day you get your 100th goal and all the more so when you’re a defender. As long as they help us to win games and bring positive things to the team, I’ll be really happy. Here’s hoping I get many more.”
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German affair
Having won the Champions League last season, Bayern Munich haven’t skipped a beat and the German club maintained it’s perfect start to the 2020 campaign thanks to a late flurry of goals to finally put away Red Bull Salzburg 6-2.
Despite having a host of chances to pull away, Bayern were pinned back by the Austrian side as it drew level at 2-2 in the 66th minute. But four goals in the last 15 minutes of the game from Jerome Boateng, Leroy Sane, Robert Lewandowski and Lucas Hernández helping Bayern to a comfortable victory.
The late barrage of goals meant Bayern became the first team in Champions League history to score four goals in the last 15 minutes of a game and also extended its winning run in the competition to 14 games.
However, Bayern’s compatriots and Champions League surprise story Borussia Monchengladbach delivered an even more emphatic score line on Tuesday.
Having already drawn with Inter Milan and Real Madrid, Monchengladbach traveled to Ukraine and thumped Shakhtar Donetsk 6-0, the most goals it has scored in European club competitions since 1975.
Alassane Plea scored a hat-trick – also his first Champions League goals – to inflict on Shakhtar its heaviest ever home defeat in European club competitions and move Monchengladbach atop Group B ahead of Real.
Making a case
Having romped to the Premier League title in part due to the formidable front three of Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah last season, it seemed unlikely that a player might be able to usurp one of Liverpool’s star attackers.
But, having joined from Wolves in the summer, Diogo Jota is making it difficult for manager Jurgen Klopp not to pick him.
The Portuguese winger scored a hat-trick in Liverpool’s 5-0 thrashing of Atalanta – with Mane and Salah getting the other goals – taking his tally to seven goals in 10 games for his new club.
And although Jota admitted he’s playing in “the best team in my career,” Klopp said he doesn’t have a selection headache despite the 23-year-old’s impressive run of performances.
“It is important we have more than 11 [to choose from] and tonight Diogo played a super game,” the German said afterwards.
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“For tonight, that was the decision – it was clear it made sense for tonight, first of all, to use the good shape Diogo is in.
“And because of the way Atalanta play and defend, it made sense that the skillset of Diogo helps.”
