The most significant alteration made by Carlo Ancelotti was the addition of Kepa Arrizabalaga to the starting lineup, which was one of five changes from the Saturday draw with Real Betis. Union Berlin pressed for an early lead, forcing the Chelsea custodian on loan into action twice. It did not materialise, and just before halftime, Diego Leite handled inside the area, giving Real Madrid a great chance to take the lead. Luka Modric tried to score, but Frederik Ronnow stopped him. With three penalties and no points, Los Blancos are yet to score from 12 yards this season.
Union Berlin gained the lead with one of the last plays before halftime, less than sixty seconds later. In the Real Madrid defence, David Alaba made a critical error that let Kevin Volland shoot past Kepa.