Carlo Ancelotti's side had to rely on a moment of magic from the youngster after another middling performance in the Spanish cup
Gonzalo Garcia was Real Madrid's unlikely hero as the 20-year-old buried a 93rd-minute winner to save his side after a sluggish performance against Leganes in the Copa del Rey. The 20-year-old rose to score from close range, sealing a 3-2 win and sparing Los Blancos what would have been a draining extra-time period ahead of a busy slate of fixtures.
After an unsteady start in which Andriy Lunin was called into action early, Madrid settled down. Luka Modric found the opener 18 minutes in, poking past the goalkeeper after a well-crafted counter-attack – his second goal of the season. Endrick added another in a rare start, turning home after ghosting in unmarked at the far post.
Leganes pulled one back shortly before the break, with Juan Cruz slotting a penalty into the bottom corner after a Madrid handball in the box. The hosts completed the comeback on the hour mark, as Cruz's deflected shot trickled into the back of the net.
Vinicius offered his usual buzz on the left wing, all creativity and movement. But he didn't provide a crucial cutting edge in the final third. In the end it was a goal made in the academy that sealed it. Brahim Diaz cut onto his left before floating a near-post cross – which Garcia met with a well-timed header for a last-ditch winner.
This was not pretty by any means; it seemed for some time that Los Blancos would need extra time or even face the embarrassment of elimination. Instead, they were saved by a kid. Their cup dream lives on.
GOAL rates Real Madrid's players from Estadio Municipal de Butarque…
AFPGoalkeeper & Defence
Andriy Lunin (6/10):
Guessed the right way on the penalty and was wrong-footed on the equaliser. Made a couple of nice saves otherwise.
Federico Valverde (7/10):
Impressive at right-back in yet another showing that flexed his versatility. Got forward and made things happen late on, too.
Raul Asencio (5/10):
Somehow now the veteran of this backline, a task he showed he wasn't quite ready for with a series of nervy moments.
Jacobo Ramon (6/10):
Solid to start, but rather lost his way in the second half. Didn't get close enough to Cruz for the Leganes second.
Ferland Mendy (4/10):
Caught badly out of position for Leganes' equaliser – which he inadvertently deflected into his own net. Pretty miserable before being removed.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidfield
Aurelien Tchouameni (6/10):
A solid showing at the base of midfield, where he looks far more comfortable.
Luka Modric (7/10):
Really impressive in the middle of the park. Orchestrated things well and took his goal calmly. Tired towards the end.
Brahim Diaz (8/10):
Busy and active throughout. Seemed that nothing was quite coming off for him. Then went and assisted the winning goal in the 93rd minute.
Getty Images SportAttack
Arda Guler (5/10):
Floated around, found pockets of space, and kept the ball moving. His influence rather waned in the second half.
Endrick (5/10):
Grabbed himself a goal with a tidy finish. Went quiet after that.
Rodrygo (6/10):
Turned in a solid 45 minutes before being removed in what was presumably a planned sub.
Getty Images SportSubs & Manager
Vinicius Jr (7/10):
Came on at the break and immediately set about tearing up his man.
Dani Ceballos (5/10):
Put in a goal-saving tackle soon after coming on. Allergic to passing the ball forward, though.
Fran Garcia (6/10):
Offered a bit more attacking thrust – and recovery pace.
Gonzalo Garcia (8/10):
Buried the winning goal after barely touching the ball. Hero.
Carlo Ancelotti (5/10):
Working with a pretty much entirely-depleted squad due to injuries. His side was lacking for long stretches, but grabbed a vital late winner. More chaotic than he might have liked, but a vital win nontheless.