Real Madrid 2 Sporting CP 1

Real Madrid V Sporting CP 

Wednesday March 18th, 2026

UEFA Youth League quarter finals 

Estádio Alfredo Di Stéfano

Sporting CP Starting XI 

1 Gouveia, 3 Mota, 4 Taibo, 2 Costa, 5 Lee, 11 Momade, 8 Bafdili, 6 Felicíssimo, 7 Mendes, 10 Gonçalves and 9 Silva

Real Madrid Starting XI 

25 Voloshyn, 2 Fortea, 15 Rivas, 3 Aguado, 37 Lezcano, 10 Martín, 6 Cestero, 14 Díez, 7 Yáñez, 9 Ortega and 48 Flores 

First half 

Before the dust has even had a chance to settle on the excitement of last night's epic remontada against Bodø/Glimt all eyes turn to Spain and the UEFA Youth League. One wonders how much sleep Flávio Gonçalves got having been in last night's matchday squad before traversing the 500km to the Spanish capital for a 1pm kick off. My guess would be not much if any at all but for his efforts he's rewarded with a place in the starting XI. Last season Real fell to AZ Alkmaar at home so it's no push to suggest that just result is a foregone conclusion. 

Temperature's warm for this time of the year pushing 18°C. PSG await the winners in the semi finals. Real in their traditional white, 2 changes to the side who beat Chelsea. Sporting in black with silver trim. The lions get us underway and will attack left to right. 

1 Noticeable that Voloshyn happy to take a position some 30 yards from his goal line acting as an additional outfield player 

2 Blocked effort from 16 yards from Real goes out for a throw far side

4 The lions defending in a 5-3-2

6 Corner nearside as Costa blocks a low cross 

7 Real play it short and you'd be forgiven for forgetting it was a corner at all as they pass their way around and end up pushed back into their own half 

8 Strong from Felicíssimo in midfield as he strong arms a Madrid player and calmly plays the ball back 

9 Costa cross to the edge of the six yard box headed away

10 Long ball to Silva on the left. Voloshyn came to claim and slid outside the area ball in hand and a free kick awarded for a handball

11 Gonçalves places the ball down on the edge of the far side of the area. Goes for goal from 14 yards but the ball flies well wide

12 Dominguez down injured inside the box receives treatment. That could well be the Spaniards afternoon done as Real get us back underway. The lions down to ten for now 

14 ➡️⬅️ Camacho for Dominguez

15 Real claim for a penalty. Appeals waved away. Lezcano blasts a shot from 17 yards deflected for a corner nearside 

15 Cestero shot from 8 yards blocked

16 Another corner nearside for Real

17 Corner blocked and another corner taken in the same style as their first and this time the ball ends all the way back with Voloshyn 

18 Arm into the face of Costa from Flores and a free kick to the lions

18 Silva smashes the ball against the post from 8 yards on the far side of the Real area. Great combination to fashion the opening from the lions. That's the closest either side have come 

20 Silva leaves one in on Mora and is shown the yellow card 

28 Martín tries with the outside of this right boot from 17 yards but succeeds only in sending the ball well wide of the left hand post 

31 Sporting clear their lines as Real cut through on the right hand side 

32 Low cross from Costa cut out for a corner under no pressure 

33 Chance for Sporting sent well over the bar from 18 yards 

35 Cross from the left cut out by Costa for a corner. Referee blows up for a foul inside the box to Sporting 

36 Gouveia went long and found Silva wide right who lost his footing as he'd gotten the better of a defender and the chance goes to build 

36 Gouveia saves from Lezcano and that's Real’s first effort on target 

38 Costa's attempted clearance ricocheted back to a white shirt inside the area but thankfully it's not punished 

39 Curled effort from 16 yards straight into the arms of Gouveia 

40 Good work down the left from Sporting but Camacho sees the ball snatched off his toes inside the box and the chance goes begging 

42 GOAL Real Madrid 0 Sporting CP 1. Gonçalves slots home from ten yards. Mistake by Real left him on his own to race through on goal and unlike Suárez in the first eleven he made no mistake 

44 Martín effort from inside the D goes well wide of the left hand post 

Plus two shown 

45 Momade effort from 17 yards deflected for a corner far side

+1 Gonçalves tries a back heeled effort six yards from the goal line but he was well wide of the goal and it goes harmlessly out of play for a goal kick 

Half time 

Real Madrid 0 Sporting CP 1

Despite the bulk of possession it's the lions who go in leading at half time. For all their dominance the Spanish yet to produce anything of note. The lions came closest to breaking the deadlock when Silva hit the post and Gonçalves made no mistake to give the lions the opening. You imagine the second 45 will follow the pattern of the opening 45 with Real on the front foot and the lions looking to counter and take advantage of the acres of space available to them. 

Second half 

➡️⬅️ Rivas off. It was his error which led to the opening goal for Sporting. Navascues on 

Real get us back underway. The lions 45 minutes away from a place in the semi finals. 

45 Two white shirts collapsed in a heap. Free kick awarded just inside the Sporting half 

46 Blocked shot from 5 yards after a Sporting mistake at the near post. Corner near side 

46 Post as a volley strikes the far post and out for a goal kick. The lions fortunate to still be leading 

49 Question mark over Sporting's choice of footwear as another player slips 

49 Sporting looking a penalty but the referee waves away their appeals. The lions had a 3 on 2 overload in the original breakaway 

50 GOAL Ortega stabs the ball past Gouveia from the edge of the six yard box. Real Madrid 1 Sporting CP 1

51 Costa forces a save from the edge of the right hand of the six yard box 

53 Bafdili shot from the edge of the six yard box goes out for a corner far side 

54 Frenetic opening ten minutes to the second half with chances aplenty for both sides 

55 Corner conceded far side to Real. Felicíssimo heads clear 

55 Ciria blasts wide from 16 yards

56 ➡️⬅️ Tomás on for Mendes 

57 Real corner far side. Referee trips Bafdili in the buildup. Yellow card offence surely for the official 

58 Costa cross found the head of Silva whose effort crashes against the post from 5 yards. So close to restoring the lead for the lions 

60 Handbags in the centre. Referee blows his whistle wildly like he's at a 90s rave 

61 Corner far side to Real. 9 for them to date. Sporting clear once more. Real abandoning their poor horse shoe routine of the first half and now opting for balls swung into the six yard box 

62 GOLAZZO Martín with the sweetest of finishes from 17 yards makes it Real Madrid 2 Sporting CP 1

64 Clash 32 yards from the Real goal. Both players receive treatment 

65 Free kick poorly executed and Real clear 

67 ➡️ ⬅️ Martín for Martínez and Nkoghe for Aguado

68 Bafdili hits the side netting from ten yards 

71 Big chance for Madrid from the right as their man dances through two defenders only to see a shot saved from six yards 

72 Yellow to Fortea for an appalling swipe in midfield 

73 ➡️ ⬅️ Lee, Camacho and Silva off. Ferreira the 16 year old on, Almeida and Varela in turn. Camacho the substitute himself in the first half is substituted 

75 Gonçalves shaped to shoot but dispossessed for a corner near side at the final moment

76 Tomás dangles a leg and Real awarded a free kick 30 yards from goal right hand side 

77 Yanez puts the free kick straight out of play 

77 Bafdili with a mazy run blocked off on the edge of the area but the referee once more unmoved 

78 Corner far side to Real 

78 ➡️ ⬅️ Díez replaced by Veiga 

79 Gouveia forces the flicked corner away from his near post 

79 Big challenge from Costa as Real broke down the left and corner awarded 

80 Gonçalves left in a heap 20 yards out. Referee again unmoved. Real broke and the move ended in another corner far side 

81 Free kick to Real close to the corner spot near side some 3 yards in 

82 Mistake at the back from Voloshyn and his attempted clearance hits Varela and out for a goal kick 

85 ➡️⬅️ Arnu on for Ortega

85 Yellow shown to Costa for his reaction to a shove in the back. Having been deliberately fouled the Real player then runs to stand over him and provoke him. Poor from the referee 

86 Felicíssimo punts the ball into the area from inside the Sporting half. Voloshyn claims. Apparently 6ft 8” tall so no wonder he had no problems in coming to claim 

87 Yellow to the Sporting mister João Gião

88 Costa concedes another corner far side. They've gone short looking to run the clock down 

89 With breaks for treatment and substitutes we must be looking at a minimum of 5 minutes added on 

89 Yellow to Veiga 

Plus five shown 

+1 Viega effort skews wide and out for a goal kick 

+2 Foul on Varela. Free kick 36 yards out centrally 

+2 Gonçalves looks for Costa but he can only concede a free kick and Real are nearly home and dry 

Full time

Real Madrid 2 Sporting CP 1 

The final word 

Heartbreak for the young lions in Madrid left to rue their two efforts which struck the post from Silva in either half. A moment of quality from Martín the difference in the end. Whilst you might suggest it wasn't overly convincing from the Spanish it was still the right result given their bulk of possession during the game and raft of opportunities in turn. Brilliant run from the Sporting youngsters to get themselves this far in the competition. They'll look to the first team to qualify for the Champions League so that they get to go again next season too, all the wiser I'm sure for their exploits in this season's competition. As for me I'm off to bask in the sunshine of the spring afternoon. Thanks for reading.