Real Madrid: Ranking the 10 best goals of the 2020/21 season

1 – The night Ferland Mendy shocked Atalanta with a weak-foot banger

Ferland Mendy had been at Real Madrid for one and a half-season until then, impressing the fans with his insane defensive strength. But he was yet to create a special moment for himself, that could boost his image among the fans and make him an instant fan favourite. And he had that moment in the first leg of the Round of 16 tie against Atalanta, as he scored the only goal of that game.

Mendy gave an advantage to Real Madrid in the first half itself by drawing a foul from Freuler in a dangerous position, for which the Atalanta midfielder was sent off. It should have made it easy for real Madrid, but Los Blancos still found it difficult to open the scoring as they were playing without a striker.

85 minutes passed, and the deadlock was yet to be broken. Then, Real Madrid got the match-winning goal from one of the most unlikely and unexpected sources in Ferland Mendy. After collecting a short corner from Kroos, Modric squared it to the Frenchman waiting outside the box. Many would’ve expected a return pass to Modric at that time, but Ferland Mendy chose to shoot with his weaker right foot.

And boy, he did score a banger with his weak foot, as the testing and curling shot went past everyone and ended up in the back of the net. After the game, Zidane revealed that it was a pre-planned move, but Ferland Mendy wasn’t the one who had to take the shot. But Zidane wouldn’t have really minded that because that goal helped his team have one foot in the quarter-final.

It was one of the most surprising moments of the season for sure, but to take a risk at such a crucial juncture of the season and execute it with such perfection makes this goal really special.