So… as forever-cool rock combo Whitesnake sang… here I go again on my own. We’re going minute-by-minute from a balmy, packed Bernabe… no, actually we’re in the office watching TV3 like the rest of you. But the football promises to be – to quote Danny Dyer — proper tasty. We’ll concentrate on the intriguing meeting of Roberto Mancini’s Manchester City and Real Madrid, who are managed by on J Mourinho. The two managers don’t like each other much and they have some pretty handy players too, which is probably more important.

Get the kettle on… this could be a good one.

But the Real Madrid v Man City showdown isn’t the only game in town of course. Oh no sir! Sky Sports are showing Arsenal v Montpellier and, like Sarah Palin and Russia, we’ll keep an eye on that, as well as the rest of the night’s pairings.

Let’s have some teams then shall we? City coach Roberto Mancini has made four changes to the side that started the 1-1 draw with Stoke City at the weekend with David Silva, Gareth Barry Gael Clichy and the 19-year-old Serbian debutant Matija Nastasic getting the nod while Mourinho has dropped Sergio Ramos. Big call, Spesh.

Real Madrid: Casillas, Varane, Pepe, Marcelo, Arbeloa, Khedira, Alonso, Essien, Di María, Ronaldo, Higuaín.

Man City: Hart, Maicon, Clichy, Nastasić, Nasri, Javi García, Barry, Silva, Yaya Touré, Tévez

And the Gooners I hear you ask? Here you go then:

Montpellier: Jourdren, Bocaly, Yanga-Mbiwa, Hilton, Bedimo, Estrada, Belhanda, Cabella, Saihi, Mounier, Camara

Arsenal: Mannone, Jenkinson, Gibbs, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Diaby, Arteta, Santi Cazorla, Gervinho, Podolski, Giroud

Note to self: get a quote from Butch for that new extension. “Just watching Sky Sports,” writes reader Neil in the comments below. “A few mins ago Ray Wilkins said ‘ U don’t build a house by putting the roof on first’ . Cheers for the advice Ray, I didn’t know that.”

And we’re up and running. “What does the night have in store” asks Trevor Welsh, next to Lou Macari in the Spanish capital. A cup of tea and a Snickers for me anyway, Trev, for a start. Any predictions out there? We’ve got a few copies of Robbie Keane: A Striker’s Story for anyone who’s on the money.

As we all know, multi-millionaire, model-dating footballer, Ronaldo is currently feeling pretty ‘sad’. But he’s had his first sight at Joe Hart’s goal just now, cutting inside and unleashing a low shot that skimmed wide of the far post. That might cheer him up.

9 minutes. Good save from Hart. That man Ronaldo again cut inside, leaving a flat-footed Kompany nowhere, before trying to place it past the England shot-stopper. Hart got down quickly however to put it behind for a corner.

If you’re taping the other game or hope to watch the highlights later without knowing the result, this isn’t the place for you. Arsenal have gone one down in France with Belhanda converting a penalty, after he was fouled by Vermaelen.

We’re 15 minutes into this game in Madrid and City are lucky to be nil as the old joke goes. Joe Hart has pulled off another great save though he probably knew little about it ultimately. Ronaldo again unleashed and it struck striker Higuaín on the way through, deflecting it wildly. Hart kept it out though, using his chest.

Bloody hell. Arsenal have notched two quick-fire goals in France putting them 1-2 up against Montpellier. First Podolski equalised and then Gervinho turned in a cross from Jenkinson. 20 minutes gone there. In Madrid, Joe Hart has again denied Higuaín, standing tall when he went through one-on-one.

The Ray Wilkins roof comment debate rumbles on. Another reader writes: “Some of the newer modular builds do put the roof on first. Just sayin..” Top, top building.  As I write, Yaya Toure looked to have found a gap in the Real defence for the first time but his final ball is a little heavy. We’re over a half an hour in now and though the home side have been well on top they haven’t managed to convert that into goals just yet. Lou Macari reckons they think they can do so at any time and aren’t in much of a rush.

In Paris, PSG seem to be enjoying life in the Champions League again; they’re 3-0 up against Kiev thanks to goals from new guys Ibra, Alex and Thiago. Samir Nasri, is going to be replaced in Madrid meanwhile, as the Frenchman seems to have twinged a muscle. Kolarov is ready to go.

• History is made by Zlatan. With that penalty in Paris, he becomes the first player ever to score for six different clubs in the European Cup. Not bad I guess. (via @2010MisterChip and Paulo Bandini)

HALF-TIME Manchester City — the Premier League champions — head for the dressing-room knowing they got away with that. Real Madrid set the pace, dominated possession and peppered Joe Hart’s goal for the full 45 minutes. But it’s still scoreless.

Arsenal’s German forward Lukas Podolski celebrates his goal tonight. (AP Photo/Claude Paris)

Brian Kerry is next to Mark Lawrenson on the TV3 couch tonight and the former Ireland manager thinks Yayo Toure holds the key to City breaking the deadlock. The teams are about to kick-off and there’s no changes to report. Let’s go.

I’m not watching the Arsenal game but there’s been a massive miss in Montpellier apparently. “Diaby tits about with the ball in his own box,” writes Iain Macintosh, ” falls over and Cabella absolutely SMASHES it over the bar from close range. A let-off, yes.”

The second half? It’s just like the first. Man City are pinned back deep in their own half, inviting the likes of Ronaldo and Di Maria to take pot shots and attempt to find gaps in the thin blue line. One of these efforts is going to beat Joe Hart eventually you feel.

61 mins Spanish international David Silva is clapped off the pitch by the home supporters to be replaced by Edin Dzeko who’s roundly booed.

Essien trots off to be replaced by Ozil. City midfielder Gareth Barry is currently enduring Vietnam-type flashbacks to the German international gliding past him in that World Cup rout of 2010.

GOAL! Real Madrid 0 Man City 1 Smash and grab. Toure drives forward, squares neatly for substitute Edin Dzeko and the big striker strokes it home. that’s unbelievable. Almost 70 minutes on the clock.

Danny Baker puts this upset into context: “Sensation! Team that cost half a billion has somehow gone in front against a team that cost only four fifths that! #FairyTaleStuff“

Modric and Benzema are on for Real — not bad subs, admittedly, Jose — while City send on Zabaleta for Maicon who looks a pale, hollow shadow of the player he was a couple of years ago. As I type, Toure again gets in behind the Madrid defence but, off balance, drives the ball into the side netting.

GOAL! Real Madrid 1 Man City 1 Marcelo cuts inside on the edge of the box and curls a screamer into the top corner of Joe Hart’s goal. They’ve had enough range-finders from that area throughout the past 70-odd minutes it has to be said.

GOAL! Real Madrid 1 Manchester City 1 Kolarov swings in a free kick from way out that finds its way into the bottom corner. 86 minutes on the clock now.

GOAL! Real Madrid 2 Manchester City 2 Unbelievable. Benzema levels it up for the second time.  He took delivery of the ball with his back to the ball in the D. Matija Nastasic stood off the striker, the Frenchman turned and drilled it home. Moments later Joe Hart makes another good save from Ronaldo. 88 minutes gone.

GOAL! Real Madrid 3 Manchester City 2 Ronaldo wins it for Real in what has turned out to be a classic. The Portuguese turned –easily — inside Zabaleta and his subsequent shot bounced in front of Hart and into the net. We’re in injury time now, Jeff.

FULL-TIME Manchester City leave the Spanish capital with nothing to show for their efforts. What a finish. Did you enjoy that?

I would be KILLED if I came home from work with my suit filthy.

Oli Kay writes from Madrid: “The chants of “One Alfie Haaland” reverberating around the Bernabeu can only mean one thing – Roy Keane is doing a live broadcast”. Manchester City fans don’t forget.

So let’s call it a night shall we? I think we’re all pretty worn out after that hectic finish. Here’s your match report from the Arsenal game and we’ll have a full round-up of the other games in a few minutes. Join us tomorrow of course for more live Champions League football as Man Utd, Chelsea and Celtic get going.