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Brahim Diaz did more than enough to fill the void left by Jude Bellingham.

With Bellingham out injured, the Spanish attacker was thrown into the starting lineup for Real Madrid and scored a stunning goal in Tuesday’s Champions League last-16 clash against RB Leipzig.

After dribbling past a trio of Leipzig defenders, Diaz composed himself in the penalty area and unleashed a perfect strike into the top corner to break the deadlock just minutes after halftime. The spectacular effort was the lone tally in Madrid’s 1-0 first-leg victory.

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It’s safe to say that Bellingham was impressed with his stand-in.

However, Diaz’s day came to a disappointing end after he was forced to leave the contest in the 84th minute due to an apparent injury.

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Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel described his side’s performance as “slapstick” in the 1-0 defeat to Lazio on Wednesday that leaves them with a tough task to reach the Champions League quarter-finals.

Ciro Immobile’s penalty proved the difference in the first leg of the last 16 tie in Rome.

“In the first half, we had to take the lead. We had three clear chances. We have to do these things,” Tuchel told DAZN.

The second half was “characterised by uncertainty again”, he said. “It was a bit slapstick.”

Bayern were hamstrung by the dismissal of Dayot Upamecano, who was shown a red card for crashing into Gustav Isaksen in the penalty area.

Immobile stepped up to score the resulting spot-kick.

“We made a lot of individual mistakes and we conceded a penalty and red card from out of absolutely nothing,” Tuchel said in the post-match press conference.

“With the performance we did everything to lose this game, which was completely in our hands.”

The defeat in Rome follows the 3-0 reverse against Bayer Leverkusen which leaves Bayern five points off the pace in the Bundesliga title race.

But asked if he feared for his job, Tuchel said simply: “No”

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Bayern Munich blasted racist insults directed at France defender Dayot Upamecano on social media after the German outfit’s 1-0 Champions League defeat at Lazio.

Upamecano gave away the 69th-minute penalty from which Ciro Immobile netted the only goal of the last 16, first-leg clash in Rome with a clumsy foul on Gustav Isaksen which cost him a red card.

“FC Bayern strongly condemn the racist comments being directed towards Dayot Upamecano on social media,” said the German champions on X, formerly Twitter.

“Anyone who comments hateful words such as these is no fan of our club.”

Bayern will have a chance to overturn their slender deficit when they host Lazio for the second leg on March 5 in Munich.

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The Kylian Mbappe era at Paris Saint-Germain is set to end in the coming months.

The French superstar communicated to PSG officials that he plans to leave this summer after his contract expires, according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein.

An official announcement is expected in the next few months after details pertaining to his departure are finalized, Ornstein adds.

The reported decision follows months of speculation about his future and persistent reports indicating that he preferred to leave the French capital after almost seven years with PSG.

Real Madrid have been heavily linked with Mbappe for a number of years and are regarded as the heavy favorites to sign him if he leaves.

But, according to a report earlier this week from The Athletic’s Mario Cortegana, his next team is yet to be decided after members of his entourage were discouraged by Madrid’s offer for the 25-year-old.

Real Madrid’s current proposal is lower than what they offered when the two sides were in talks over a deal in 2022, according to Cortegana. Mbappe was reportedly offered a salary of €26 million per year at that time, along with an enormous €130-million signing bonus.

Though not as hefty, Madrid’s new offer would still make the Frenchman the highest-paid player in the squad.

Saudi club Al-Hilal approached PSG last summer with an offer worth €300 million, but Mbappe ultimately decided to stay and play out the remainder of his contract.

Mbappe, who finished third in voting for the 2023 Ballon d’Or award, boasts 31 goals in 30 games this season.