Real Madrid 1
Manchester City 2
Kevin De Bruyne orchestrated a dramatic Manchester City comeback on Wednesday as they stunned Real Madrid 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu to put one foot in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Madrid looked on course to edge a cagey contest after Isco’s smart finish early in the second half, but De Bruyne teed up Gabriel Jesus in the 78th minute and then tucked away a penalty in the 83rd.
A pulsating finish also saw Sergio Ramos sent off for preventing Jesus from going clear and Madrid’s captain will now be banned for the second leg at the Etihad Stadium on March 17, when City’s two away goals will make them heavy favourites to go through.
Pep Guardiola sprung another Champions League surprise by picking a line-up nobody predicted, with De Bruyne up front and Raheem Sterling, Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho all on the bench.
But his gamble paid off handsomely, even if Nicolas Otamendi made the mistake that led to Isco’s opener while an injury to Aymeric Laporte meant Fernandinho had to be introduced midway through the first half.
Laporte was seen walking around the pitch but must now be doubtful to play in Sunday’s League Cup final against Aston Villa.
Guardiola insisted on Tuesday that Uefa’s two-year ban, pending City’s appeal, would not act as a spur for his players but it was very much on the minds of their travelling fans, who were singing against European football’s governing body from almost the first minute.
Either way, City now have a golden opportunity to make a statement by knocking out Real Madrid, the competition’s most successful club in its history.
Zinedine Zidane’s team was more predictable, even if Toni Kroos, one of his most consistent performers, was left on the bench.
These are the sort of nights when Gareth Bale can find his best but Vinicius Junior took the spot on the left.
The opening half was tentative, summed up by Ederson at one point playing for time by stalling on the ball and being allowed to by Madrid, who also refused to press him.
If both team’s priority was to stifle, they were largely successful as City seemed content to let Madrid have the ball, as long as Jesus and Riyad Mahrez were ready to race away on the break.
Jesus cut inside Raphael Varane and had a clear sight of goal only to shoot straight at Thibaut Courtois. On the stroke of half-time, the Brazilian struck again, this time after a weak Thibaut Courtois punch, but Ramos blocked and Fede Valverde hacked away from the line.
In between, Real went close too. Karim Benzema’s header was palmed out by Ederson and Vinicius looked certain to tap in the rebound yet slipped at the crucial moment, five yards out and with the goal at his mercy.
Laporte had gone off but City enjoyed their best spell after the break.
Casemiro carelessly conceded possession and De Bruyne tore away, feeding Mahrez, who cut in and curled wide. Jesus drove another shot straight at Courtois.
Zidane considered a change and Bale warmed up, only for Madrid to take the lead.
Otamendi failed to control a Rodri pass and Vinicius broke, with Kyle Walker and Fernandinho rushing to meet him.
ISCOOOOO ⚪️!
— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) February 26, 2020
Madrid lead at the Bernabéu!
Calamitous defending from Man City!#RMAMCI #UCL #VMSport pic.twitter.com/n0URCD2tfn
They left Isco free behind them and Vinicius picked him out, giving the Spaniard a simple finish.
The hosts smelt an opportunity for a second as Dani Carvajal weaved through and Ramos’ volley was deflected over by Fernandino.
But Bale and Sterling both came on and shortly after, the tide turned.
In the 78th minute, De Bruyne’s clipped cross was too high for Ramos at the back post and Jesus behind him nodded down, his header enough to beat a weak right hand from Courtois.
Gabriel Jesus leaps up behind Sergio Ramos and heads Man City level!
— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) February 26, 2020
What a ball from KDB!! 🎯#RMAMCI #UCL #VMSport pic.twitter.com/30ls4N5vY6
And five minutes later, City scored again, this time Carvajal at fault, sliding late on Sterling in the area. De Bruyne made no mistake with the penalty and it was City’s fans still singing, long after the final whistle.
Unfortunately so are the 3 other semi-finalists!!
@John O Reilly: I love how they’re getting carried away like they’ve won the UCl already
@Scorpionvenomm: who is exactly ?
Ive seen plenty of confidence in this semi final…and undoubtedly the nutter brigade that think the club will win evrytbing (like all clubs have) but overall I wouldnt agree with your tribalist bullsh!t at all.
@Colin Ahern: it’s our year lol
@Scorpionvenomm: who is your team playing the semis?
@John O Reilly: This, I believe, will be Liverpool’s toughest opponent of all the semi finalists.
Probably the worst team to have won the champions league that Rafa Benitez side. He never get enough credit for that.
@Gary O’Hanlon: thats a fact
@Gary O’Hanlon: very true. It is hard to believe that Djimi Traore and Vladamir Smicer have Champions League medals. Even Jerzy Dudek is still wondering how it happened.
@Inanimate Carbon Rod: when you look at that Milan team too. Dida, Maldini, Cafu, Nesta, Stam, Pirlo, Gattuso, Seedorf, Kaka, Shevchenko, Crespo and some decent quality on the bench too. Insane, when you really think about it. I was at the final in 2005 the best sign I saw was “who needs Maldini when we’ve got Djimi” kinda summed up the difference between the teams.
@hyippy: the best players don’t win the CL, the best team does.
@KingBen: They also beat one the greatest Juventus sides of all time in that semi lest ye all bitter b’stards forget.
@KingBen: no shoot Sherlock
@Sean: seriously Sean, glad you agree. Now comment on the ‘shoot’ comment above mine.
Fantastic run in the champions league and outstanding players,,especially mo salah but the sad thing about it is man United will still win more trophys this year than the pool..
@Noel O Mahony: Hope the pitch isn’t too dry for them.
@Paul Furey: sure it was fine when they were two up. Classless Klopp the flop saying they’ll play on it in the championship. Imagine Jose saying that.
@Scorpionvenomm: klopp the flop ? Righteo … Taxi for this lad with the chip on his shoulder
@Colin Ahern: what has he won with Liverpool? And the money he has spent
@Scorpionvenomm: he’s only had 2 full seasons at the helm. How may trophies did the Fergie win in the same time period? Zero.
@Noel O Mahony: whens the parade for the second place trophy? Did I miss it?
@Scorpionvenomm: money spent. I want to see your face when you see the net spend for klopp at liverpool :) 34million surplus. Liverpool have done an arsenal since klopp came. Balanced the books got a great team playing nice football and stadium expansion to compete again
@Scorpionvenomm: He says stuff like that all the time
No doubt about it this is one of the strongest sides Liverpool have had in years. This Roma team won’t be any walkover either. Should be a cracking game.
Handy one for Roma tonight
That’s them jinxed so
Where were you in Istanbul?
Get out of our club
@Ollie Watson: does it still hurt that he won pl with man u
@Ac: With only 3 ever, 60+ years including Ferguson era, MU European success is scant. Nottingham F won 2 and retained it, and this over just a 5 year period of dominance. Given their resources this is a far greater footballing level of achievement.
@Nick Leone: nottingham forest and yourselves apart from 2005 won the European cup when just league winners played so considerably easier to win
@Ac: straight knockout easier to win?? Stop making excuses for Utd being unable to win more in europe during their golden period
@Sam Beckett: straight knockout with less top teams to beat along the way hence two of your final wins were club brugge and borussia monchegladbach hardly powerhouses of europe
@Ac: OK so you claim it’s harder now than it was then. United made 3 finals in the last 15 years. Liverpool are heading for their 3rd in the last 15 years. Add that to the “easier” accomplishments of before Liverpool are still far more successful in Europe than United
@hyippy: When, Back in the stone age??
@Ac: showing your stupidity again I see. Was far harder to win then
@Sam Beckett: I’d say English clubs would of won more if Liverpool didn’t get us all banned from Europe in 1985
@Carl Johnson: definitely easier to win then when half top teams in europe not playing in it
@Scorpionvenomm: we’re not allowed talk about that for some reason thats airbrushed out of history
@Ac: ‘… considerable easier to win …’, same rules apply to all for any given era. should have been no problem to MU and their resources.
@Ac: borussia monchengladbach had half the West German WC winning team 1974. What ever the era the best players and clubs were in the latter stages of European competitions. Where else would they have been? Every countries best club was involved, if they were knocked out that’s because the team that beat them were better.
Of course might MU weren’t involved, that’s because they weren’t mightily – just thought them selves as.
Except Liability Lovern
@Stevie Doran: Lovern made 1 mistake, he was very good v MC. Roma pen was unlucky. This is not a major defense issue. LFC now bookies favorites to win CL. BM would be harder than RM because they can defend and grab a goal. RM over the hill. Ron’s last stand.