Real Madrid came from behind twice to defeat Manchester City 3-2 in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League (UCL) knockout round playoff. The thrilling match saw Jude Bellingham score a 92nd-minute winner, securing Real Madrid’s first win at the Etihad Stadium inside 90 minutes.
The match began with a tense atmosphere, with Manchester City’s supporters targeting Vinícius Júnior with a pre-match message. However, the Brazilian forward was instrumental in Real Madrid’s comeback, playing a key role in several scoring opportunities. Erling Haaland opened the scoring for Manchester City with his first-ever goal against Real Madrid, but Vinícius’ deflected shot crashed against the crossbar, and the visitors eventually equalized through Kylian Mbappé.
The second half saw a flurry of chances, with Haaland’s shot being deflected onto the crossbar and Mbappé equalizing on the hour mark. Manchester City retook the lead through Haaland’s penalty, but Real Madrid responded quickly, with Brahim Díaz scoring against his former club just two minutes after his introduction.
In the dying minutes of the match, Vinícius capitalized on Manchester City’s indecision, breaking forward and poking the ball toward the goal for Bellingham to turn home. The late winner secured Real Madrid’s fourth consecutive UCL win and an advantage to take back to the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.
Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham believes his team played one of their best games this season last night.
“It was a weird one. We played some of our best football of the season and ended up behind. I think we were playing well and creating a lot. We were always confident throughout the game that something would drop for us.” Bellingham said.
The result marks a significant setback for Manchester City, who have now won just one of their last six continental contests. Real Madrid, on the other hand, will be buoyed by their comeback victory, which sets them up nicely for the second leg.
The two teams will meet again at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, where Real Madrid will look to build on their advantage and secure a spot in the next round of the UCL. Manchester City, meanwhile, will need to regroup and find a way to overcome their recent struggles in continental competitions.
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