Is there a better tie in Champions League football than Real Madrid vs Manchester City?
Recent history suggests not after these two European powerhouses played out a spectacular 3-3 draw at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Meeting in the knockout stages for the third time in as many seasons, the second leg of this quarter-final back in Manchester surely can’t come quickly enough after the two teams shared six goals in a truly memorable encounter.
After Bernardo Silva had given City an early lead, Eduardo Camavinga and Rodrygo struck to put Madrid 2-1 up. Spectacular goals from Phil Foden and Josko Gvardiol turned the game on its head before Federico Valverde had the final say to round things off.
Dermot Corrigan, Sam Lee and Mark Carey break down the main talking points from an unforgettable match.
Chaos reigns in an extraordinary start
Neither coach would have wanted quite such a manic opening to the game, given Guardiola especially prizes control and patience on such big occasions.
At first, it seemed advantage City when Bernardo Silva took advantage of a triple mistake by Madrid ’keeper Andriy Lunin (a bad wall, poor positioning and a weak hand) with a direct free kick to make it 1-0 to the visitors. At 108 seconds, it was the second-earliest goal Madrid have ever conceded in the Champions League at the Bernabeu.
But Madrid do tend to thrive in such chaos. Their first sustained spell of possession in the game opened up space for Eduardo Camavinga to let fly from 25 yards. The Frenchman’s shot flicked off Ruben Dias and wrong-footed City keeper Stefan Ortega.
Camavinga celebrates his equaliser (Jose Manuel Alvarez/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Madrid fans had yet to sit down when their side went 2-1 ahead, with Vinicius Junior sliding Rodrygo in behind City’s makeshift right-back Manuel Akanji and the Brazilian’s early shot, giving Ortega no chance to react.
It was true that Rodrygo’s shot also took a deflection on its way to the net, spinning off Akanji’s foot — but Madrid would reject any idea that their comeback was fortunate.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side had reacted with confidence and quality to going behind early. There was also a tactical element. Ancelotti had unusually played Camavinga to the right of his midfield. Especially surprising was Rodrygo on the left and Vinicius Jr centrally, which caused Guardiola’s side problems all game.
Madrid also have a history of such ‘remontadas expres’ against City at the Bernabeu — two goals in 89 seconds in 2021-22 and two goals in 113 seconds tonight.
Dermot Corrigan
Rodrygo turns the screw on City
Ahead of this quarter-final clash, a lot of build-up analysis was focused on the attacking threat of Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham.
Much like a lot of his Real Madrid career, Rodrigo was discussed less but the Brazilian continues to be underestimated. His role in maintaining Madrid’s width on the left flank was an interesting tactical tweak from Ancelotti, rotating with Vinicius Jr, who typically operates in that lung-busting role along the touchline.
The Brazilian pair were frequently interchanging throughout, with Rodrygo’s penetrative runs causing problems for Manuel Akanji and Ruben Dias as Madrid’s counter-attacking threat rarely relented.
It took Rodrygo just 14 minutes before getting his name on the scoresheet, putting Madrid ahead after Vinicius Jr’s delicious threaded ball saw the 23-year-old burst into the box and finish coolly — albeit with the help of a deflection.
Rodrygo wheels away after scoring Real Madrid’s second goal (Jose Manuel Alvarez/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
After City got the better of Madrid in last year’s semi-final, Guardiola’s side will still be haunted by Rodrygo’s performance at the Bernabeu in the 2021-22 season. The Brazilian entered the field after 68 minutes before scoring two goals in two minutes to turn the tie around as Madrid stunned City to win 3-1 and progress to the Champions League final.
After his two goals helped Madrid beat Athletic Bilbao in their most recent La Liga fixture, tonight’s finish makes it 16 goals (and 8 assists) in all competitions for Rodrygo this season — and he looks set to beat his career-best 19 goals set last season.
With further attacking signings due to arrive in the summer in the shape of Endrick and (potentially) Kylian Mbappe, Rodrygo’s form might have come at a crucial time. It’s a reminder to Ancelotti that he is not willing to give up his place in the team without a fight.
Mark Carey
There has been a lot of focus on Erling Haaland’s link-up play recently and while Roy Keane’s “League Two player” assessment was over the top, it is true that he has struggled of late.
It probably should not be a surprise that he struggled again here against Antonio Rudiger, given that is what happened in the same fixture a year ago, amid one of the most impressive individual seasons anybody has ever had. So if it could happen then, it can happen now. But it remains the case that Haaland is something of an enigma in the hold-up stakes.
His youth coaches talk about how he was a much smaller boy in his youth and had to get the edge over defenders by honing his movement. His physique kicked in later on and that is why he is more of a poacher, despite his huge frame.
Haaland lost a large share of his battles against Rudiger (Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
That also helps to explain why he is not the best hold-up man: it is not something he grew up doing. On nights like these, City could really do with him making more stick, especially in the first half when they were losing the ball far more easily than usual.
He did some impressive chasing back in the second half and was frustrated not to get some passes in behind when the rare chances arose, but City do need more from him when the chances are not flowing.
Sam Lee
Both Madrid and City show their powers of recovery
Things had gone so well for Madrid. They had succeeded in shutting down City’s usual possession game so much that there was a real shock about the second quick turnaround of the night.
Madrid had Haaland under control through Rudiger and Tchouameni, but that eventually ended up leaving space elsewhere — which City were able to take advantage of.
First Foden was able to swivel and fire into the top corner from the edge of the area. The touch was excellent and the shot was superbly struck, but the Englishman should not have been so free. The closest Madrid player was Rudiger, coming diving out to block from where he had been marking Haaland much closer to the goal.
Then Gvardiol was able to take Jack Grealish’s pass and even take a heavier-than-ideal touch before he fired to net from another quite big piece of space 25 yards out. On the edge of the picture this time was Toni Kroos, who made a tired and unsuccessful attempt to get in the way.
But — yet again — Madrid reacted well to the setback. Ancelotti immediately replaced Kroos, with Valverde pushed forward on the right in the subsequent reshuffle. The Uruguayan has been out of the spotlight this season, adapting his game following Bellingham’s arrival as a goalscoring midfielder, but when the moment came, his first-time strike was perfect to make it 3-3.
Valverde levels things up (Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
And it was Modric with the driving run forward who began the move.
It was almost as if Madrid needed the shock of going behind again to react — but react they did, leaving things brilliantly poised ahead of the second leg.
Dermot Corrigan
City discover the beauty of losing control
Normally, if a Champions League away knockout game featuring Manchester City is a cracker, then something has gone wrong for them.
That is especially the case in the first leg because Guardiola is very happy to go away from home, shut up shop (but with the ball rather than without it) and wait to force the issue in the second leg, especially if it is at the Etihad.
So there was no chance that he set out for this to happen tonight but, given there seemed to be no alternative, full credit to City for rolling with it and showing plenty of their strengths even on a night when their weaknesses were on display more than normal.
They were more open on transitions (more so in the first half), they were weak in some duels, and they gave away a lot of loose balls (mostly in the first hour) and yet they still had periods in which they imposed themselves and, even beyond all of that, they kept rolling with the punches — something they have not always done on these stages — and sent back plenty of their own.
What a cracker.
Sam Lee
What did Carlo Ancelotti say?
We’ll bring you this once the Real Madrid manager has completed his post-match interviews.
What did Pep Guardiola say?
We’ll bring you this once the Manchester City manager has completed his post-match interviews.
What next for Real Madrid?
Saturday, April 13: Mallorca (A), La Liga, 5.30pm BST, 12.30am ET
What next for Manchester City?
Saturday, April 13: Luton Town (H), Premier League, 3pm BST, 10am ET
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(Top photo: Diego Souto/Getty Images)
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