The winner of Jude Bellingham, who saw Real Madrid twice from behind to beat Manchester City 3-2 in the first leg of the Champions League play-off.
Erling Haaland had seemed to have won the game at Etihad Stadium from the late penalty spot by second night, restoring the lead after Kylian Mbappe had leveled the time with a volleyball. But the city collapsed in the last moments.
Brahim Diaz fell for the first time shooting in the recovery against his former club before Bellingham had the last word, mourning on the ball with the goalkeeper hitting after Vinicius Junior had robbed Rico Lewis and put the ball over Ederson . Hard.
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Watch all Paul Merson’s best reactions to Manchester City’s 3-2 loss in Real Madrid in the Champions League.
Madrid will feel that it has created more than enough to win, but the way the outcome was tough on the Pep Guardiola side and lets them make a lot to do against European champions when they meet in Bernabeu for a place in the last 16.
How did it fall for the city
It was an exciting game. Madrid accumulates the pressure early. Vinicius, greeting with a Rodri banner who kisses the Ballon d’Or and ran all over, was removed in the box by Ederson only for the offside flag to refuse him. Nathan Ake produced a big block.
And then, enter Haaland. It was a beautiful pass by Jack Grealish, just for his final act before he got out of injuries. He found Josko Gvardiol who shook to finish Haaland. There was a long wait for VAR, but the target stood. The city’s confidence was flooded back.
There was still time for Vinicius and Manuel Akanji and hitting the target frame before the break, Haaland himself immediately after that. The city was in a heavyweight game, the question would always be if they would be able to maintain it.
MBAPPE’s equalizer, a complete bad blow, turning the ball into the net with Ederson Wrong-Footed, was unfortunate. But the city responded again thanks to Foden’s fast legs and Haaland’s cool. It will hurt that they were wasting the second time.
Kylian Mbappe’s Mis-Hit Volley got the first Real Madrid equilibrium
For Madrid’s remarkable determination, both goals felt self -injured, as a result of the city’s occupation, instead of seeing it. Even then, Ederson could be removed from the target. Lewis had to be stronger. In the end, the city will feel that they have slaughtered it.
There are 90 minutes. But while the Guardiola side remains sensitive to these dives, the periods that can admit to fast succession, which feels like too much for this team and not very little. Madrid in control. The hopes of the city hang from a thread.
Erling Haaland scored twice but wasn’t enough, as Man City abandoned the lead to lose 3-2
There is no chance for the city now
Sky Sports’ Paul Merson at Soccer Special:
“It was a case of two glamorous errors from Man City.
“First, Ederson has the ball in his hands and his city is 2-1 up. He’s trying to get a volleyball kick and go wrong and goes straight to Bellingham.
“He chooses the right pass to Vinicius and his shot is bounced by Ederson before Brahim Diaz scores the recovery. I think Man City’s goalkeeper has to do much better.
“Vinicius then gets ahead of Rico Lewis and is far away in the goal. It is taken over the goalkeeper and the ball goes horrible, but Jude Bellingham follows it and scores.
“The old town was playing a game from 90 to 95 minutes each week. Just don’t seem to do it now.
“I don’t know what they are. They either just go out or if it’s just a group of aging.
“They just seemed to be erased.
“They did very well for many of the game. Of course, they led their luck sometimes as you do against a qualitative side like Real Madrid.
“But they will be so frustrated. We are not yet in mid -February and Man City only plays for the FA Cup.
“I don’t give them a chance on the second leg. I have seen enough in Real Madrid to know that they can open Man City as a knife through butter.”
Guardiola: ‘Not full -time’
Manchester City Manager Pep Guardiola speaking at the press conference:
“It’s not full -time. Today it was tight. They have chances. But we got the game and played very well with the ball. In many games this season we have given goals away. It happened many times and so it is difficult.
“We’re talking about it, but how? We need to know that there are mistakes in some areas, it’s hard to manage. Do it.
“Players make decisions right now and sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t. I am honest with myself, at the last minute we reach a good result, but we couldn’t keep it.”
Jude Bellingham celebrates his winner for Real Madrid in Manchester City
‘We got our chance in the end’
Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham on Amazon Prime:
“It was weird. I played some of the best football of our season and we ended up behind.
“I think we were playing well and we created a lot. We were always confident in the whole game that something would fall for us.
“I don’t care what the city is still an incredible group. It’s always difficult to play against them and finally we got the chance in the end.
“It’s always good to take the lead back home and I’m sure Bernabeu will come for us.
“It seems that there are up and down these knockout games. It’s not just game management. They’re regular and it’s psychological.”
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