Real Madrid vs RB Salzburg 5-1: UEFA Champions League – as it happened

Madrid secure a valuable three points against RB Salzburg with their 5-1 victory today at the Bernabeu.

They will now hope to repeat that performance against Brest on January 29 if they are to repeat as Champions League holders.

We hope you enjoyed our coverage of today’s encounter, and on behalf of Kevin Hand, this is Rohan Sharma signing off.

Carlo Ancelotti spoke with reporters after the game: “We will never have problems in scoring goals. I focus on fixing the defensive weakness we have. We have to improve there.

“If you defend well, you win games. It’s a problem of sacrifice, focus.”

“It’s almost impossible to reach the top eight. We must win versus Brest [on January 29] and see what happens.

“Rodrygo is untouchable, yes. Like Vinicius [Junior], [Kylian] Mbappe, [Jude] Bellingham, Brahim [Diaz], [and Ferderico] Valverde. It’s a perfect combination in attack, and we enjoy it. And we will enjoy even more when we defend better.”

“Bellingham has had some discomfort in his shoulder, but it’s nothing serious.”

“David Alaba is very close to start[ing] games. It depends on how he feels. When he tells me he’s ready, I will start him.”

Our combined match report from the day’s two biggest matches is now live: Real Madrid cruise past Salzburg, but Man City hit by PSG turnaround

Rodrygo, fresh from scoring a brace against RB Salzburg, spoke after the match: “It’s so easy to play with Jude [Bellingham]. He makes everything easy, the movements he makes. His second assist was very nice and I love playing with him.

“We’ve been through difficult moments we didn’t want to,” admitted Rodrygo.

“But this victory in the Champions League is what we needed. [It] will give us a lot of confidence to keep going now with the big challenges ahead of us.”

“I’m very happy after reaching 100 goals with this shirt,” Vinicius Junior told Movistar, noting he was close to Brazilian compatriot Ronaldo Nazario’s tally of 104.

“I hope to be able to continue like this and score a lot of goals, and mark an era in this team – that’s my dream.”

The Premier League title holders host Club Brugge on January 29 in what will undoubtedly be a must-win.

They currently sit just outside the knockout spots at 25th place, so it is three points or bust for Pep Guardiola’s men.

“Usually in these moments, we are so good,” the England and Manchester City forward told TNT Sports. “It’s happened a few times this season when we have gone one, two or even three goals up against Feyenoord. We haven’t been able to control the games and see them out.

“In every other season, we have been so good in these moments. I don’t know if it’s a confidence thing but it’s down to ourselves to change that moving forward and win the game next week.”

“They had one or two moments in the first half, and so did we, but they were better,” the Man City manager told TNT Sports.

“They were quicker, faster; they won the duals. We accept the defeat because the best team won. We have one game left, and we hope we can qualify.

“PSG are an extraordinary team and that is how you have to understand it. Yes, we could have kept the ball better.

“To defend the result, you have to keep the ball, we didn’t have it. They had it more and attacked better – that is why it’s more difficult.”

On the prospect of City being eliminated ahead of the knockouts, Guardiola added: “It could happen, if we don’t win, we don’t deserve it. It’s the reality, we have to accept it. And the last game against Brugge will dictate what we have to do.”

Ancelotti’s men face Brest in their final matchday fixture, with that match taking place on January 29.

They too will be looking for victory to preserve their chances of progression into the knockouts.

After securing a much-needed three points against Manchester City with their 4-2 result today, PSG will take on VfB Stuttgart in their final matchday assignment.

Given that they are in 22nd place, a win or draw will be the very minimum required in order to stave off elimination.

Our focus next shifts to cricket, where India take on England for the second T20I in Chennai.

With India 1-0 up already, coverage of that match begins on January 25 at 11:30 GMT, so do make sure to tune in.

Thomas Letsch’s men get a week’s break before their next Champions League assignment.

That comes at home against Atletico Madrid, with the fixture taking place on January 29.

Former England and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand says City’s defeat will hit them hard.

“They’ve been unbeaten in a few games and it looked like their confidence was rebuilding quickly,” Ferdinand told TNT Sports.

“We all know in football, it can all crumble quickly – in one performance, one 90 minutes. There was a lot that went wrong today, and their confidence is going to take a bit of a dent. It will be a worrying thing for Pep [Guardiola] and his team to experience.”

The Champions League holders next take on Valladolid on January 25 in LaLiga action.