Vinicius Jr scores fastest Champions League goal in 14 seconds amid Real Madrid defeat

With El Clasico around the corner, defending LaLiga champions Real Madrid have struggled to find form since the international break. Following a defeat against Cadiz the previous weekend, Zinedine Zidane's men succumbed under pressure against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League. Despite the defeat, youngster Vinicius Jr stood out in a disgruntled side, becoming the fastest goalscorer in the history of the European club competition. 

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Shocking Champions League results at Di Stefano

Zidane opted with the front three of Rodrygo, Luka Jovic and Marco Asensio, while Karim Benzema and Vinicius Jr started from the bench. Besides, captain Sergio Ramos stood a mere spectator on the stands with the manager preferring Eder Militao alongside Raphael Varane. 

The backline in the absence of Ramos looked redundant as the Santiago Bernabeu based outfit went on to concede three goals in the first half against a team that was playing with its reserve players. Militao's sloppy positioning led to the first goal, while Varane's defensive error materialised into an own goal. The third goal was a counter-attack marvel as the Ukrainian side completely dismantled the Real Madrid defence. 

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Real Madrid vs Shakhtar Donetsk: Vinicius Jr goal could not help Los Blancos, but sets new UCL record 

Taking note of the hapless attack line, Zidane introduced Benzema in the second half, with Rodrygo subbed off. Luka Modric went on to score the first goal for Real Madrid, courtesy of a long-range striker from outside the box. The manager, in the 59th minute, replaced Jovic with Vinicius Jr. 

The Brazil youngster went on to score in a mere span of 14 seconds, as he dispossessed the Shakhtar defence, before firing in a low shot in the bottom right corner. The goal saw him register a new record in the Champions League, becoming the fastest scorer in the competition. But the defending LaLiga champions could not bag the equaliser, with a last-minute effort being disallowed. 

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The previous record of a 15-second goal was jointly held by Lars Ricken and Andy van der Meyde. Interestingly, Vinicius Jr received flak for his lack of finishing ability in the final third during the previous season. But, the goal against Shakhtar was reminiscent of the fact that the Brazilian forward has improved immensely and is all set to lead the lines.

He is currently the top scorer for Real Madrid with three goals this season - two in LaLiga, one in the Champion League. Real Madrid have a daunting task again when they come up against Barcelona on Saturday, who arrive into the game with a 5-1 victory against Ferencvaros in their Champions League opener. 

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Image courtesy: Champions League Twitter