Real are beginning to ramp up the pressure.

Following a breakdown in play, Guler sells a dummy and glides down the right flank before firing in a low cross, but there is no one inside the box to turn it home.

Leipzig are starting to sit deep.

The visitors attack down the right, but Gruda overlooks Baku’s overlapping run.

Carreras gets a touch to help guide the German winger’s play straight through to Courtois.

Nusa controls the ball brilliantly in Real territory, weaving past Valverde before drilling a sharp low cross into the box.

Rudiger slides in, but a deflection off Seiwald results in a goal kick for the hosts.

Stretching back to a 3-0 defeat against CSKA Moscow in December 2018, Real Madrid have found the net in 44 successive Champions League home games.

That record offers hope of goals tonight, yet the hosts have still to carve out a notable attempt.

Raum attempts to thread Romulo past the Madrid back line, but Rudiger races back to expertly shield the Brazilian off the ball and clear.

Leipzig launch another attack through Baku shortly after, but his overlapping run is flagged offside.

Mbappe is primed to play a massive role tonight, boasting a stunning Champions League record of 97 goal involvements in 100 games (72 goals, 25 assists).

Right on cue, fellow Frenchman Nkunku works his way into a promising position, but fails to make the most of it.

Rudiger turns from foul recipient into provider shortly after a flailing arm catches Romulo flush in the face – ouch!

Both teams trade early touches as play settles down, but Real are showing more intent and assertiveness in possession.

Leipzig are making a positive start, pressing from the front.

Nusa is a touch too exuberant, though, giving away a foul on Rudiger on the halfway line.

Fingers crossed for a goal-laden spectacle this evening.

Real Madrid have triumphed in each of their five home games this term, racking up 15 goals.

Los Blancos have only managed two clean sheets from their first 10 outings overall, while Leipzig make the journey having lost all three of their away fixtures against top-flight opposition this season, conceding nine goals.

Off the back of a resounding 6-1 defeat to Bayern in Bavaria, Leipzig boss Demichelis makes three changes for this match.

Right-back Lukas Klostermann is rested following that tough outing four days ago, making way for Ridle Baku.

In the middle, Nicolas Seiwald replaces Rocco Reitz, while Romulo comes into the attack as Ezechiel Banzuzi drops out, with Christopher Nkunku moving back into the number 10 role.

Mourinho makes five changes following the dominant 4-1 victory over Sevilla, rotating his side with Sunday’s El Clasico on the horizon.

Antonio Rudiger—who grabbed a late goal against Roma—and Alvaro Carreras come into the defence for Ibrahima Konate and Marc Cucurella.

In midfield, Eduardo Camavinga replaces Aurelien Tchouameni, Arda Guler pushes further forward, and the deep-sitting Bernardo Silva takes over from Endrick.

Vinicius Junior also starts, replacing Yan Diomande despite the latter’s €140 million summer arrival from Leipzig.

Up top, Mbappe keeps his place after scoring twice against Sevilla, leaving him just a hat-trick away from 100 goals for Real Madrid.

Martin Demichelis’ Leipzig have endured a somewhat jittery start to their Champions League campaign.

Following a heavy 4-1 defeat against Como, Die Roten Bullen steadied themselves with a 1-0 victory over reigning Dutch champions PSV.

Even so, morale could use a lift amid a tough patch, as this daunting trip to Madrid follows a 6-1 thrashing at the hands of Bayern Munich.

Sitting seventh in the Bundesliga standings, they might find European respite hard to come by against their storied hosts.

They could also have one eye on fixtures ahead as they look to improve on their 2024-25 league stage appearance, where they finished 32nd after losing seven of their eight matches.

Real Madrid welcome RB Leipzig to the Spanish capital, aiming to make it three wins from three in Europe’s elite competition.

Jose Mourinho’s men began their continental run by overcoming two of his former clubs, edging Inter Milan 2-1 before a 4-3 away victory against Roma at the Stadio Olimpico.

Although they have faced hurdles this term, the Meringues enter this clash on a three-match winning streak since the Madrid derby, sparked by a 4-1 triumph over Sevilla.

Sitting third in LaLiga, the hosts currently occupy 10th spot in the league phase standings and look to climb higher in what is Real’s fifth encounter with RB Leipzig.