Mandzukic sets Champions League records to spark Juventus comeback
Mario Mandzukic scored the fastest goal Real Madrid have ever conceded at home in the Champions League to give Juventus hope of a stunning quarter-final comeback.
Trailing 3-0 from the first leg in Turin, the striker thumped home a header from Sami Khedira’s cross after just 76 seconds to put the Serie A champions back in the tie.
Mandzukic struck again before the interval, capitalising on more slack marking from another right-wing centre, this time from Stephan Lichtsteiner, to beat Keylor Navas.
The Croatia international – who scored a stunning goal in Juve’s final defeat to Madrid in Cardiff last season – is the first player to score two first-half goals away at the Bernabeu in a Champions League match.
76 – Mario Mandzukic’s goal after 76 seconds is the fastest Real Madrid have ever conceded at home in the Champions League. Super. #RMAJUV
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 11, 2018
Mandzukic’s brace meant holders Madrid trailied by two goals at half-time in a Champions League game for the first time since February 2000.
The LaLiga giants went on to lose that match 3-1 against Bundesliga side Bayern Munich, with Zinedine Zidane responding to his team’s poor start by replacing Casemiro and Gareth Bale with Lucas Vazquez and Marco Asensio at the interval.
2 – Mario Mandzukic is the first player to score two first-half goals away at the Bernabeu in a Champions League match. Fighting. #RMAJUVE
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 11, 2018
Madrid’s Clasico rivals Barcelona surrendered a 4-1 first-leg advantage to drop out of the competition against Roma on Tuesday.
