Real Madrid vs Manchester City Live: It was the meeting that either side wanted to avoid ahead of the draw. Yet, Los Blancos took on Pep Guardiola's Manchester City in the quarter-final first leg at the Spanish capital on Wednesday. It is noteworthy that while Real Madrid were eliminated by City during the treble run last season, it was the La Liga giants that handed the English champions their last UCL defeat in the season before.
Here are the major moments that defined the encounter between the defending champions and the most successful team in the competition:
Kick-off: Aurelien Tchouameni, who started in the centre-back position for Real Madrid was booked just 39 seconds into the game for a harsh sliding tackle on Jack Grealish. The yellow card confirmed that Real will have to play the second leg at Manchester sans the Frenchman.
2 minutes: Bernardo Silva silenced the Bernabeu by converting the resulting free-kick. From about 25 yards out, the Portuguese midfielder found a chance to ambush Andriy Lunin at goal and it worked! With no wall in place, Silva keeps his shot low and targets the bottom low corner. Caught off guard, Lunin hardly manages a hand on the ball but fails to stop it going in.
Real Madrid 0 Manchester City 1
12 minutes: Eduardo Camavinga brings the stadium back to life. After waves of relentless attacks, Real Madrid finally manages their first shot on goal and the shot from distance gets a huge deflection from City Captain Ruben Dias and lands in the middle of the goal. Dani Carvajal found an open Camavinga and with nobody trying to close him down, the midfielder decided to go for glory. Although the goal was registered as an own goal by Dias, parity was restored in no time.
Real Madrid 1 Manchester City 1
14 minutes: The home side turned the game on its head in just two minutes. Lunin collected Grealish's cross and quickly set his team on the counter. A wonderful pass by Vinicius down the left to Rodrygo is found and the winger started the run inside his own half. He took it into the box and drilled a low shot through Akanji's legs that trickles into the back of the net with Ortega watching helplessly.
Real Madrid 2 Manchester City 1
37 minutes: Manuel Akanji, who started in the right back position for City was shown yellow for a harsh challenge on Vinicius Jr in an attempt to cut off the Brazilian's run.
42 minutes: After Silva was caught on the ball on the halfway line, Vinicius managed to exploit the gaps in City's defence. He surged to the edge of the box and got past John Stones to take the shot with Jude Bellingham inside the box for support. But went straight into Ortega's gloves.
45 minutes: Half time! Three minutes of added time but the scoreline remains unchanged at 2-1. Real Madrid finished the first half strongly to the liking of the roaring home fans. City enjoyed the lion's share of possession (64% to 36%), But Real managed seven shots against the opposition's tally of four. City could manage only two shots on target in 45 minutes, while five of Real's seven were going in if not for defensive interferences.
Antonio Rudiger, Dani Carvajal and Toni Kroos did a brilliant job in keeping Erling Haaland, Jack Grealish and Phil Foden silent for the entire half.
SECOND HALF
53 minutes: Just for a monment, the goal was open and Jude Bellingham got the ball inside the box. Despite too many City defenders before him, the Jude keeps the ball on his feet before dragging the shot wide. A commendable attempt by the Englishman.
55 minutes: A cross-field ball from Valverde found Rodrygo. He produced a splendid through ball to Vinicius inside the box. The Brazilian unleashes a vicious strike towards Ortega but fails to hit the target. Another close escape for City.
58 minutes: Lunin under pressure from aggressive Manchester City. Silva almost scored a second from distance.
65 minutes: Silva, Stones and Foden combine to restore parity. Silva pulled wide on the right and dragged it back to Stones on the edge of the box. He fed Foden, and the youngster blasted one before the Madrid players could close him down. The inch-perfect shot landed in Lunin's top-left corner.
Real Madrid 2 Manchester City 2
70 minutes: The visitors snatch back the lead as defender Josko Gvardiol scores his first City goal. Grealish squared up with Carvajal, and when he dropped back, he found Gvardiol on the edge of the box. The Croatian's shot went into the far top corner, giving Lunin no chance.
Real Madrid 2 Manchester City 3
72 minutes: Substitutions | Luka Modric in for Toni Kroos; Brahim Diaz in for Rodrygo.
79 minutes: Real's Federico Valverde, who worked restlessly throughout the night, entered the scoresheet in style. Newly introduced Modric switched it out to Vinicius on the left who, in turn, puts a great deep cross into the far side of the box. Valverde watched it drop all the way before he launched a powerful volley across the goal and into the bottom corner.
Real Madrid 3 Manchester City 3
86 minutes: Substitutions | Joselu in for Vinicius Jr; Julian Alvarez in for Phil Foden
90 minutes: Nothing to separate the two sides as the referee blew full-time after three minutes of added time.
FULL TIME | Real Madrid 3 Manchester City 3