Manchester City vs Real Madrid LIVE: Champions League result and reaction as visitors snatch late win

The Independent

·11 febbraio 2025

Manchester City vs Real Madrid LIVE: Champions League result and reaction as visitors snatch late win

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Real Madrid produced their latest Champions League late show to snatch a first-leg advantage in their mighty play-off clash with Manchester City.

The visitors had appeared bound for a defeat at the Etihad Stadium after Erling Haaland’s penalty ten minutes from time had put the hosts back ahead, but former Manchester City player Brahim Diaz equalised moments after being brought on before Jude Bellingham pilfered a 3-2 win with virtually the final touch. For Pep Guardiola, it must have felt awfully familiar, another implosion in a season full of them.

Until those final minutes, it had been an encouraging night for the Premier League club, producing an improved performance and twice going ahead. Haaland struck twice, his first beautifully constructed and firmly finished before the Norwegian converted from the penalty spot after Phil Foden had been felled. But one always feared that Manchester City’s defensive vulnerabilities might show up against a dynamic forward line, with Diaz and Bellingham adding to Kylian Mbappe’s initial equaliser to allow the hosts to take a one-goal lead into the second leg at the Bernabeu.

Pinned

Real Madrid keep their cool as Manchester City implode again in Champions League classic

A Clasico, Carlo Ancelotti had called it. The Italian isn’t a man to get carried away and is rarely wrong. A classic it was, too. A performance out of keeping with Manchester City’s season nevertheless produced a result out of keeping with Real Madrid’s history. They could win the Champions League without ever winning at the Etihad Stadium. The club who have won 15 European Cups recorded a belated first, deep into added time, courtesy of an Englishman. They ended an unbeaten run that spanned more than six years.

Real Madrid keep their cool as Man City implode again in Champions League classic

Manchester City 2-3 Real Madrid: Jude Bellingham scored in stoppage time as the visitors scripted a familiar Champions League story

Carlo Ancelotti speaks to Amazon Prime about Real Madrid's win

“I think we played a good game. We didn’t deserve to be down in the game. We were really dangerous, we defended well. At the end of the day, the victory is deserved. It’s only the first half of the knockout [tie], though.

“It was character and personality. We had a good block defensively, which is not usual for us. Tonight we were able to do this.

“In this moment, Manchester City don’t have a lot of confidence. But they are still a really good team and played a really good game. We have to stay calm - anything can happen at the Bernabeu.