West Ham United flop Alex Kral is making quite the name for himself in the Champions League these days with a well-struck, long-range goal against none other than Real Madrid on Tuesday night.
Union Berlin’s recruitment department have come in for plenty of criticism of late. But, as they hosted the most successful side in the history of the competition in midweek, a couple of the club’s much-maligned summer signings proved that their class is, indeed, permanent.
Kevin Volland, a semi-reliable goalscorer at Hoffenheim, Bayer Leverkusen and Monaco, netted only his third Union goal to give Nenad Bjelica’s side the lead after Luka Modric had missed a penalty at the other end.
One-time West Ham misfit Alex Kral also found a way past Real Madrid’s Chelsea loanee Kepa Arrizabalaga, locating the bottom corner with a strike of laser-guided precision before another former Premier League midfielder in Dani Ceballos fired in a heartbreaker at the death.
West Ham flop scores against Real Madrid
After a miserable couple of seasons for Kral, this was a moment to savour. The poodle-haired Czech Republic international played only one minute of Premier League football during the most forgettable of spells at the London Stadium in 2021/22. He then suffered relegation with Schalke last term before moving on to Union.
In a game lit up by players who never really lived up to expectations on UK soil, Ceballos’ winner and Kral’s stunner came following a brace from Joselu, a late-blooming centre-forward who has put that dismal stint at Newcastle United in the rearview mirror.
Joselu hits Champions League brace
“Ceballos was important today and showed his quality. Joselu did just as well. He’s a great striker in the box,” Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti, himself once of Everton, told AS after Los Blancos made it six wins out of six in the group-stages.
“In the first-half, we didn’t cross (the ball) a lot. And, with a striker like Joselu, we have to do it more. Six or seven crosses at least.
“Joselu has 8 goals already and he’s started the season well. He’s important this season and he has key characteristics against tight teams. As for Ceballos, he deserved his goal, because it’s been tough for him to get back to fitness. He hasn’t had it easy.
“As well as the goal, which is obviously important, he had a really good game.”
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