Manchester City versus Real Madrid lived up to its top billing on Tuesday, February 11 with fireworks from both teams as they battled for a spot in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16.
Jude Bellingham delivered a 92nd-minute winner as Real beat City 2-3 away in a typically dramatic Champions League clash between the two sides.
Erling Haaland broke his duck against Real Madrid with a brace but it was not enough for even a draw, as Brahim Diaz equalised against his former club with four minutes of normal time remaining, and Bellingham then slid in to turn the ball into an empty net and leave City stunned at the Etihad Stadium.
Haaland had failed to find the net in four previous appearances against Real, but opened the scoring in this Champions League play-off tie after Josko Gvardiol chested the ball onto his path.
That lead remained until the hour mark, when Kylian Mbappe’s scuffed volley looped into the far corner, a deserved equalised for Real after they had wasted a string of presentable chances.
Haaland restored the advantage from the penalty spot and City were within touching distance of taking a lead into the second leg at the Bernabeu, but Diaz and Bellingham had other ideas.
The home supporters had greeted the visitors with a huge banner referencing Real’s boycott of last year’s Ballon d’Or ceremony in protest at City midfielder Rodri’s crowning ahead of their own Vinicius Junior.
“Stop Crying Your Heart Out,” the wording read, alongside a picture of the now-injured Rodri kissing his trophy.
It appeared this might have inspired Vinicius as the Brazilian was at the heart of Real’s slick attacking play. He first raced onto a long ball and was hacked down in the area by Ederson. The referee awarded a penalty but City were reprieved by an offside flag.
Vinicius then played in Kylian Mbappe, whose effort was saved by Ederson, and teed up Ferland Mendy for a shot blocked by Ake. Poor defending allowed Vinicius another charge at goal but Akanji recovered.
City weathered that storm and snatched the lead against the run of play.
Jack Grealish, hoping to make the most of a rare start, clipped the ball into the box and Gvardiol’s knock-down was expertly turned past Thibaut Courtois by Haaland. After a lengthy delay, VAR ruled the Norwegian was millimetres onside.
Real were stung and Vinicius curled an effort onto the top of the bar.
City were forced into a change when Grealish limped off on the half-hour but his replacement Phil Foden quickly settled and tested Courtois with a fierce drive. Akanji then grazed the bar following a corner.
Real finished the first half strongly with Federico Valverde firing just over and Mbappe twice going close.
Haaland had a shot deflected onto the woodwork after the restart but Real continued to threaten, with Mbappe forcing Ederson to save.
The equaliser came just before the hour after a free-kick was blocked and the ball lofted back towards Mbappe by Dani Ceballos. The Frenchman completely mistimed his volley but it looped into the net past a static Ederson after slicing off his shin.
Real sensed more and Bellingham was denied by Ederson before Mbappe gave City another let-off.
Again City dug in and reclaimed the lead with a Haaland penalty after Foden was felled by Ceballos.
Yet Real were not finished and substitute Diaz – the former City academy star – thumped home a rebound to level before Vinicius set up Bellingham for the last-gasp winner.
In other results, the early evening game which saw Ligue 1 side Brest host fellow French side and defending Ligue 1 champions, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), the former lost 0-3, Ousmane Dembele scoring a brace, to hand PSG a good chance ahead of next week’s decisive second leg to advance to the Round of 16.
In Turin, Juventus beat Dutch side PSV 2-1, while Portugal’s Sporting CP lost woefully at home 0-3 to Borussia Dortmund.
