Manchester City and Real Madrid renewed their engrossing Champions League rivalry on Tuesday, as the sides played out another classic encounter.
A 3-3 draw at Bernabeu sets up a intriguing quarter-final second leg next week, after the last two winners of the competition produced another pulsating affair. The attacking and entertaining tussle ended level after 90 minutes, with both teams proving once again that they are among the continent’s top sides - and would be worthy Champions League winners this time around.
It was a frenetic start to the game, with three goals in the opening 14 minutes. Bernardo Silva got the ball rolling when he squeezed an audacious free-kick beyond Andriy Lunin. The Portugal international noticed a sizable gap at the front post and, from a wide area, managed to arc the ball into the back of the net.
But Madrid, buoyed by an electric atmosphere inside the closed-roofed Bernabeu, responded immediately. Eduardo Camavinga saw his shot from distance deflect off Ruben Dias and beyond the stranded Stefan Ortega after 12 minutes. And in the blink of an eye, it was 2-1 to the side who thrive on the European stage like no other.
Vinicius Junior’s excellently weighted pass released Rodrygo down the Madrid left, before the latter placed a shot through the legs of Manuel Akanji and into the away goal.
That set the tone for Madrid’s approach, with Los Blancos carrying a real threat in the break. Rodrygo twice more went close in the first half, while Vinicius and Federico Valverde also tested Ortega. City, who couldn’t capitalise on their domination of possession, struggled with the hosts’ direct play in transition. Other than a seventh-minute shot from Erling Haaland that was saved at the front post, City lacked incision.
But that changed in the second period, as the Blues’ control resulted in more regular scoring opportunities. The European champions moved the ball quicker and managed to keep Carlo Ancelotti’s side penned in their own half for long spells.
Phil Foden and Josko Gvardiol made that advantage count as both scored superb shots from distance - the latter grabbed his maiden strike for the club as he swung a right foot at the ball from outside the area. But Madrid managed one last riposte in the quarter-final classic.
Valverde connected perfectly with Vinicius’ cross to score an exquisite volley with just over 10 minutes remaining in the Spanish capital, an effort that rocketed beyond Ortega to set the tie up perfectly ahead of the second meeting at the Etihad next week. Here’s how we rated the City players...
1. Stefan Ortega- 5
Didn't cover himself in glory for Madrid's second, but could do nothing for Dias' own-goal or the sublime Valverde volley.
2. Manuel Akanji- 5
Couldn't keep pace with Rodrygo for the third goal of the night, and the ex-Borussia Dortmund man wasn't at his best while operating at right-back.
3. John Stones- 6
Didn't have much of an impact in the first half, but his growing influence helped change the course of the first leg in the second period. Stones set up Foden's goal and helped bring a level of control to City's build-up play.
4. Ruben Dias- 7
Was unfortunate for the own-goal with the ball deflecting off Dias and into the net. But the City no.3 made several important sliding tackles at the back.