Brahim Díaz had a magical night at the Santiago Bernabéu. The player, used to hearing that he is more of a substitute than a starter, showed that he is more than capable of squeezing into Ancelotti’s starting eleven. The coach himself, at a press conference, reminded everyone that he is by no means a substitute player for Real Madrid; if anything, he is a very important player for the club’s interests.
And in line with this debate, Brahim remembered Cholo. On Monday, at a press conference, the Argentine coach said he did not think Brahim was going to be in the game, and this did not sit well with the Madrid talent. The player, as captured by the Movistar Plus+ cameras, exploded after his goal: “You talk now, you talk yesterday, you talk now”.
🤫 “¡Habla ahora!”@Brahim marca y se acuerda de @Simeone. #LaCasaDelFútbol #UCL pic.twitter.com/khuzxo7FVl
— Fútbol en Movistar Plus+ (@MovistarFutbol) March 4, 2025
The reality is that Brahim‘s performance was a delight. The player was one of the few Real Madrid players who understood the magnitude of the game. His physical effort in defense resulted in several important recoveries for Ancelotti’s team and, associatively, was one of the highlights of a Madrid side that was leaking in the midfield. Camavinga did not have the best of days, at times he even got ahead of Brahim, hindering the game and tactically disrupting the team.
This did not affect the Moroccan’s performance; in the second half, after a general booing of his team from the Bernabéu, he conjured up the winning goal from a standing start. He hid the ball between two Atleti defenders, came out victorious from the dribble and, with subtlety, placed the ball at the far post, out of Oblak’s reach, who stretched unsuccessfully, to give Real Madrid the advantage in the tie for the time being.