Real Madrid finish off the group stage with a win over Club Brugge

Peeep peeep peeep! 3-1 it finishes.

It's a scoreline that slightly flatters the visitors, to be honest. They were given a good game by a Club Brugge side who, for much of the evening, looked like they might come away from the clash with something to show for themselves.

However, there's no arguing with those finishes by Rodrygo Goes and Luka Modric. A goal for Vinicius Júnior will have done the 19-year-old's confidence a world of good, meanwhile.

Having finished second in Group A, Madrid know they will face one of Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Juventus, RB Leipzig and Liverpool in the last 16, the draw for which is to be held on Monday.

You can get the lowdown on the knockout-phase line-up here.

As for Brugge, Galatasaray's defeat to PSG means they hang on to third despite losing tonight, and Philippe Clément's men go into the pot for the Europa League last-32 draw, also on Monday. It's been a hugely creditable group-stage performance from the Belgians.

That's all from me - thanks for reading!

It's now 5-0 to PSG, so I think I can confidently say Brugge are going to finish third despite tonight's impending defeat.

Three minutes of added time at the Jan Breydel Stadium, by the way.

Close from Dennis! The Nigerian cuts in from the left and runs at Varane and Militao - who are both backpedalling furiously - before unleashing a shot towards Areola's left-hand corner... but it flies just wide! 

Rodrygo clips over a cross to the back post, where Benzema is waiting. If he can bring it under control, the Frenchman may well have a chance to fire in a third... but he can't bring it under control.

Modric fires over, but it is Valverde who should have shot!

Rodrygo slides a pass across the top of the box and when Benzema lets it run, Valverde is in space just inside the penalty area. Instead of taking it forward himself, though, he overelaborates and backheels to Modric, who blasts his shot high.

Real Madrid make their third and final substitution, replacing Isco with Federico Valverde.

Real Madrid pop it about in their own half, prompting what sounds like olés from the away fans. Steady on, my friends. Madrid are currently edging their way to a narrow win at a club a good couple of rungs below them in the European pecking order.

As soon as Club Brugge win the ball back, the home supporters respond with a loud round of olés of their own. 

There's a shooting chance for Dennis inside the Real Madrid box, but his low drive across goal bounces back off Varane's legs!

Moments later, Dennis gets to the byline and crosses, but with Schrijvers waiting in the middle, pings his pass right into Areola's hands.

On comes Benzema, with Luka Jovic making way.

It's now 4-0 in Paris.

Back in Belgium, Karim Benzema looks like he's about to come on for Real Madrid.

Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane shuffles his pack for the first time tonight, withdrawing goal hero Vinicius and sending on Brahim Díaz for a rare run-out.

That's what I call clinical.

Vlietinck comes off the for the hosts, with Charles de Ketelaere replacing him. 

As it stands, Brugge are heading for defeat, but PSG's ongoing 3-0 lead over Galatasaray means the Belgians will qualify for the Europa League regardless.

Vanaken shoots straight at Militao, before winning it straight back and looking to release Sobol into crossing space on the left. However, he succeeds only in kicking his standing foot, and the chance is lost. Brugge are about to make a change.

Casemiro tries to catch out Mignolet with a bouncing drive from distance, but the Brugge goalkeeper keeps his eye on the ball and gathers it. Not a bad idea, though.

Vinicius is still finding his range, it seems. Casemiro finds Isco with a neatly zipped pass towards the top of the box. The Spaniard quickly shuttles it on to Vinicius on the left-hand corner of the area, but the Brazilian skies his attempt to bend it into the far top corner. And I mean skies it.

Brugge boss Philippe Clément makes the first change of the evening, replacing Percy Tau with Siebe Schrijvers.

Karim Benzema, Federico Valverde and Brahim Díaz have been sent out to warm up for Real Madrid.

Vlietinck has a chance to cross from the right for Club Brugge, but with Tau waiting inside the box he hits his delivery too close to Areola. And up the other end...

Rodrygo drives menacingly at the Brugge defence and slips the ball into Isco's run into the box, but the Spaniard can't quite bring it under control and the chance is lost. Rodrygo had Vinicius in space further over to the left; he should probably have played it to his compatriot.

Galatasaray are 3-0 down to PSG over in Paris, so Brugge look like sealing third place in Group A regardless of what happens here in the next 40 minutes or so.

No substitutions for either team at half time, by the way.

...and straight away Club Brugge carve out an opening! When the ball falls to Vanaken inside the box, though, his shot is a swing-and-a-miss. An early second-half let-off for Real Madrid.

Peeeep! Back underway in Belgium.

Peeep peeep peeep!

After a minute of time added on, Tobias Stieler brings the first half to a close at the Jan Breydel Stadium. Club Brugge are clearly more up for it than Real Madrid, who have been, well, a bit meh.

Had Isco's 34th-minute shot been a couple of inches to the right, though, the visitors would have got themselves the opening goal.

See you in 15!

Club Brugge have the ball in the net as Dennis latches on to Tau's lovely backheel to finish past Areola at the near post... but the flag is up for offside, and a VAR check upholds that decision.

Over in Moscow, by the way, Atlético Madrid are leading Lokomotiv 1-0, despite a missed penalty and a disallowed goal. Los Rojiblancos are heading through to the last 16 as it stands.

Vinicius releases Mendy on the left, giving the Frenchman space to run into and cross towards Jovic, who's waiting in the middle to gobble it up. The left-back's ball into the box is blocked, though, and Madrid have to settle for a corner-kick.

The corner is straight at Mignolet, but the keeper flaps dreadfully at it and is thankful to gather it back into his arms. He then boots his goal-kick straight into the back of Militao, but again comes away unscathed.

Casemiro is shown a yellow card for clattering into Vormer. Fifth booking already tonight.

Varane plays a long ball over the top that almost gets Rodrygo in on Mignolet, but the former Liverpool goalkeeper is quickly out to clear the danger. Better from Madrid in the last couple of minutes.

Sobol is booked for a nasty challenge on Rodrygo in the build-up to that Isco chance. It was a poor tackle.

Vinicius plays the ball inside to Isco, who takes advantage of Jovic's decoy run to scamper into shooting space at the top of the box... but his low drive flashes just wide of Mignolet's post! So, so close to a Madrid opener.

Vinicius tries to knock it past Kossounou, but is very easily muscled out of it by the Brugge defender. Seconds later, though, Isco is so close to scoring!

Again Brugge come forward with intent... until, that is, Álvarez overhits his threaded ball through to Dennis on the left. As they say, he's quick, but not that quick.

Still, Brugge are having the better of this. They look good to get something out of tonight's game - and if they do, they'll have the feather in their cap of being unbeaten against Madrid in this group stage.

Now I've said that, watch Madrid go up the other end and score.

Back come Brugge, winning a free-kick in the right-hand channel. Deli gets his head on the delivery into the area, but it's a looping header and is no trouble for Areola.

Brugge win a corner, which is initially cleared by Rodrygo. However, the hosts come again, and Vormer has a shooting chance if he can bring the ball under control inside the box. However, Varane deals with the danger well, and Madrid get it away.

Casemiro flights over a cross towards Jovic, but it's straight at Mignolet.

Kossounou is furious to be penalised for a foul after at first glance appearing to win a footrace with Vinicius down the left wing. Not only is the Brugge defender adjudged to have committed a foul, he's also booked. Replays show he was guilty of something of a flailing arm. 

Madrid finally enjoy a relatively prolonged spell of possession, and in the last couple of minutes look to have taken some of the sting out of Brugge's lively start.

Álvarez is booked for a tug on Casemiro. 

Just as I say that, Jovic has a very presentable chance to open the scoring for Real Madrid! 

Vinicius plays in the Serb in plenty of space inside the box, but his shot is well tipped over by Mignolet! 

The corner then comes to zip.

Kossonou now crosses from the right... but the flag was up. Since that headed chance for Militao, it's been all Brugge. 

Dennis lays the ball out wide for Sobol to cross, but Madrid clear. However, when Sobol immediately gets another chance to fire the ball into the box, Areola has to be on his toes to keep out Tau's close-range shot! 

It's been a promising start from Brugge, and the home fans respond by notching up the noise a few decibels.

Éder Militao has the first sight of goal this evening, but his header from Modric's corner is mistimed, and trickles well wide of Simon Mignolet's goal.

Up the other end, Vlietinck tumbles in the box under Mendy's challenge, but the hosts' penalty appeals are rightly waved away. Shoulder to shoulder, nothing more than that.

Modric is the first man into Herr Stieler's notebook for tugging back Emmanuel Dennis as the Brugge forward looked to put on the after-burners. No complaints from the midfielder.

Real Madrid win their first corner of the night, but when it's taken short to Luka Modric, the Croat's low ball into the box is fairly easily dealt with by the home defence.

Madrid out to avoid unwanted points record

Madrid also have the incentive of avoiding their lowest points total in the Champions League group stage in the 21st century, I should also add.

Were the 13-time European champions to lose to Brugge, they would finish on eight points for the first time since the turn of the millennium. 

And even if they win at the Jan Breydel Stadium, Los Blancos will still come away with their poorest group-stage points haul since 2006/07.

Club Brugge have started on the front foot, as might be expected of a side with more to play for. Vlietinck tries to play Tau into the Real Madrid box, but Militao is there to deal with the danger.

Peeeeep! We're up and running.

Almost ready to go...

The teams are out at the Jan Breydel Stadium, where Raphaël Varane is wearing the captain's armband for Real Madrid.

Our match referee is Tobias Stieler of Germany.

Anthem done, handshakes done, coin toss done... It's time to get underway.

How and where to watch Club Brugge vs Real Madrid

By the way, here's our guide on how and where to watch tonight's game in Belgium.

Odriozola's first appearance since October

Having been fairly frozen out since October's defeat at Real Mallorca, Vinicius Júnior starts consecutive games for the first time this season, while Álvaro Odriozola makes his first appearance of any kind since being sent off in that loss at Son Moix. Alphonse Areola starts for Los Blancos for only the fourth occasion, meanwhile.

Madrid already know possible last-16 opponents

With all eight group winners already confirmed, Real Madrid know that they'll be facing one of Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Juventus, RB Leipzig and Liverpool in the first knockout round. 

They can't be drawn with PSG after sharing a group with them, while Barcelona and Valencia are ruled out as last-16 opponents as clubs from the same country are kept apart until the quarter-finals.

Here's the full lowdown on the almost-complete last-16 line-up.

Jovic gets his chance as Zidane rests Benzema

It may be a match of minimal consequence for Real Madrid, but it's a far from insignificant night for striker Luka Jovic. He's scored just once since his 60m-euro summer move to the Bernabéu, and hasn't played a single minute in the club's last six games. With Benzema given a breather tonight, this is the Serb's chance to shine.

Bale back on bench after hamstring problem

After missing the 2-0 victory over Espanyol with a hamstring issue, Gareth Bale is on the bench in Belgium tonight, and is likely to see some actionas he bids to get himself in shape for the tough clashes to come over the next 10 days.

Brugge chasing Europa League place

Brugge have rather more riding on this evening's game than their visitors. The Belgians can no longer reach the Champions League last 16, but they're still fighting to finish third in Group A and, in the process, qualify for the Europa League. 

Clément's men sit one point above Galatasaray ahead of the final round of group games, and will go into Europe's second-tier club competition if they match the Turks' result against PSG.

Five changes for Club Brugge

Club Brugge boss Philippe Clément makes five changes to the team that beat Sint Truiden on Saturday to end the weekend seven points clear at the top of the Jupiler Pro League. Kossounou Odilon, Simon Deli, Thibault Vlietnick, Percy Tau and Emmanuel Dennis (he of the falling-over brace at the Bernabéu) all come into the side.

Six changes for Real, Casemiro starts

Zidane makes a total of six changes to the side that beat Espanyol in LaLiga on Saturday, as Alphonse Areola, Álvaro Odriozola, Éder Militão, Luka Modric, Isco and Luka Jovic all come in. Thibaut Courtois, Dani Carvajal, Sergio Ramos, Raphaël Varane, Toni Kroos and Karim Benzema are all given a rest. 

Given he has been nigh-on ever-present this season, tonight seemed like a prime opportunity to given Casemiro a breather - but the Brazilian starts at the base of the Madrid midfield.

Club Brugge team news

Starting line-up: Mignolet, Kossounou, Mechele, Deli, Vlietnick, Vormer, Balanta, Sobol, Vanaken, Tau, Dennis

Substitutes: Horvath, Ricca, Cools, De Ketelaere, Rits, Schrijvers, Okereke

Real Madrid team news

Starting line-up: Areola, Odriozola, Varane, Militão, Mendy, Modric, Casemiro, Isco, Rodrygo, Jovic, Vinicius

Substitutes: Courtois, Carvajal, Nacho, Benzema, Bale, Valverde, Brahim

Team news in!

Anyway, the starting line-ups are in at the Jan Breyden Stadium - and Zidane has, as expected, made several changes to his team. However, despite there being nothing at stake for Madrid tonight, the Frenchman has, slightly surprisingly, passed up the chance to rest Casemiro. The teams are as follows...

Dead rubber - for Madrid, at least...

Given they're already certain to finish as Group A runners-up behind Paris Saint-Germain, Madrid don't have a whole lot to play for tonight - beyond, that is, the basic aim of extending their current eight-game unbeaten run in all competitions. 

There's also the incentive of ensuring they take the best possible form into what is a tricky trio of upcoming matches in LaLiga, against Valencia, Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao, no less. That's certainly a tough run of games with which to end 2019.

Welcome one and all

Good evening! Welcome to our live coverage of Real Madrid's trip to Belgium in the final round of the Champions League group phase, as Zinedine Zidane's men take on Club Brugge at 21:00 CET.