Jude Bellingham’s stoppage-time winner saw Real Madrid twice come from behind to beat Manchester City 3-2 in the first leg of their Champions League play-off.
Erling Haaland had looked to have won the game at the Etihad Stadium from the penalty spot late on with his second of the night, restoring the lead after Kylian Mbappe had levelled on the hour with a mis-hit volley. But City collapsed in the final moments.
Brahim Diaz netted with a first-time shot on the rebound against his former club before Bellingham had the final say, latching onto the ball with the goalkeeper beaten after Vinicius Junior had robbed Rico Lewis and lofted the ball over Ederson. Cruel.
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Watch all of Paul Merson’s best reactions to Manchester City’s 3-2 loss to Real Madrid in the Champions League.
Madrid will feel they created more than enough to win it but the manner of the result was tough on Pep Guardiola’s side and leaves them with much to do against the European champions when they meet in the Bernabeu for a place in the last 16.
How it fell apart for City
It was a thrilling game. Madrid piled on the pressure early on. Vinicius, greeted with a banner of Rodri kissing the Ballon d’Or and booed throughout, was taken down in the box by Ederson only for the offside flag to deny him. Nathan Ake produced a big block.
And then, enter Haaland. It was a gorgeous pass by Jack Grealish, just about his final act before going off injured. He found Josko Gvardiol who nodded down for Haaland to finish. There was a long wait for VAR but the goal stood. City’s confidence flooded back.
There was still time for Vinicius and Manuel Akanji both to hit the frame of the goal before the break, Haaland himself immediately after it. City were in a heavyweight game, the question was always going to be whether they would be able to sustain it.
Mbappe’s equaliser, a complete mis-hit, shinning the ball into the net with Ederson wrong-footed, was unfortunate. But City responded again thanks to Foden’s quick feet and Haaland’s coolness. It will hurt that they squandered the lead the second time.
Kylian Mbappe’s mis-hit volley got Real Madrid’s first equaliser
For all Madrid’s remarkable resolve, both goals felt self-inflicted, a result of City surrendering possession instead of seeing it out. Even then, Ederson could have parried away from goal. Lewis needed to be stronger. In the end, City will feel they blew it.
There is 90 minutes to come. But while Guardiola’s side remain susceptible to those dips, the periods when they can concede in quick succession, that feels like too much time for this team rather than too little. Madrid in control. City’s hopes hang by a thread.
Erling Haaland scored two times but it was not enough as Man City twice gave up the lead to lose 3-2
No chance for City now
Sky Sports’ Paul Merson on Soccer Special:
“It was a case of two glaring errors from Man City.
“First, Ederson has the ball in his hands and City are 2-1 up. He tries to side volley a goal kick and it goes horribly wrong and goes straight to Bellingham.
“He picks the right pass to Vinicius and his shot bounces off Ederson before Brahim Diaz scores the rebound, I think the Man City goalkeeper should do much better.
“Vinicius then just gets in front of Rico Lewis and he’s away on goal. he lobs it over the goalkeeper and the ball is going horribly wide but Jude Bellingham follows it up and scores.
“The old Man City used to play a game of 90 to 95 minutes every week. They just can’t seem to do it now.
“I don’t know what it is, whether they just switch off or whether it is just an ageing team. The older you get, the more tired you get and if you get tired the more mistakes you make.
“They just seemed to switch off.
“They did really well for a lot of the game. Of course, they rode their luck at times as you do against a quality side like Real Madrid.
“But they will be so disappointed. We are not even in the middle of February yet and Man City are just playing for the FA Cup.
“I don’t give them a chance in the second leg. I’ve seen enough in Real Madrid to know they can open up Man City like a knife through butter.”
Guardiola: ‘It is not full-time’
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola speaking in the press conference:
“It’s not full-time. Today was tight, they have chances, but we took the game and played really good with the ball. In many games this season we’ve given goals away, it’s happened many times and that’s why it’s difficult.
“We talk about that. But how? We have to know there are mistakes in certain areas, it’s difficult to manage. It’s happened many times. It’s not about specific players, there are many situations we have to read and we are not able to do it.
“Players take decisions in the moment and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. It’s happened many, many times. So reflect, think, maybe in the future it won’t happen. It is what it is. Today was tight, I’m quite honest with myself, in the last minute we arrive with a good result but we couldn’t keep it.”
Jude Bellingham celebrates his stoppage-time winner for Real Madrid at Manchester City
‘We took our chance in the end’
Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham to Amazon Prime:
“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.
“I don’t care what form City are in they are still an unbelievable team. It’s always tricky to play against them and we finally took the chance at the end.
“It’s always good to take a lead back home and I’m sure the Bernabeu will come through for us.
“It seems like there is up and downs in these knockout games. It’s not just game management, it’s tactical and it’s psychological as well.”
