Real Madrid Salvage 2-2 Draw vs. Club Brugge, Remain Winless in Champions League

Real Madrid are yet to win in Group A of the 2019/20 UEFA Champions League after coming back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Club Brugge on Tuesday.  

Emmanuel Bonaventure Dennis scored twice to give the visitors a shock lead before Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was withdrawn at the break.

Sergio Ramos got one back after a look from VAR, and Brugge midfielder Ruud Vormer was sent off for two yellow cards before Casemiro headed in an 85th-minute equaliser.

The stalemate at the Santiago Bernabeu leaves Los Blancos on just a single point after two matches, following the 3-0 defeat away to Paris Saint-Germain last time out.

Sluggish Real were punished as early as the ninth minute when Bonaventure capped a swift break with an unorthodox finish.

The goal was only confirmed after lengthy intervention from VAR showed Sergio Ramos playing the goalscorer onside. Ramos's return was supposed to fortify the Real back four, but confusion and nerves were common in front of goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois early on.

Brugge's front three of Bonaventure, Krepin Diatta and Percy Tau were causing all sorts of problems with their pace and perceptive movement. Midfielders like Hans Vanaken weren't hesitating to release this trio in behind with quick and direct passing.

Real were mustering little going forward, but former Liverpool stopper Simon Mignolet was still needed to make a superb save to deny Raphael Varane and keep the visitors in front. The home side also went close when Toni Kroos dragged a shot wide from inside the box.

In general though, Real were pedestrian going forward. It didn't help summer import Eden Hazard was still struggling to impose the same kind of influence he once regularly displayed for Chelsea.

Ponderous play in attack was punished when Brugge broke again on 39 minutes. An errant pass from an off-the-pace Luka Modric sent Bonaventure clear and he beat Courtois easily despite a stumble:

Being two down at the break prompted Zidane into decisive action. He brought on Marcelo for makeshift left-back Nacho and, to the surprise of many, hooked the struggling Courtois for Alphonse Areola:

The substitution looked an inspired one when Areola made a splendid stop to deny Bonaventure a hat-trick. It proved a pivotal moment because Ramos had halved the deficit 10 minutes after the restart.

VAR was needed again, but the fine margins went Real's way:

However, not everybody, including Kieran Cannig of Agence France Presse, was convinced by the decision:

Either way, the goal stood and Real were in the ascendancy. Hazard was becoming more involved, while Kroos and Modric were making more purposeful runs from midfield.

The latter blazed over when he should have squared for Benzema, with Brugge hanging on. Zidane also introduced Vinicius Junior's pace for the disappointing Lucas Vazquez.

The Brazilian had Real primed to complete the comeback after drawing a foul from Vormer that led to a second booking and the 31-year-old's dismissal after an earlier foul on Hazard.

Real wasted no time making their advantage count, with Kroos guiding a corner onto the head of Casemiro.

Karim Benzema might have won it when he beat Mignolet to a header, but Brugge held on to condemn Real to a run of three home games without a win in European competition. 

What's Next?

Real host Granada in La Liga on Saturday, while Brugge are at home to Gent in domestic action on Sunday.