by On such nights, the Champions League remains the gold standard. It was the kind of game that gives magical, mysterious properties to the tournament, the kind that will amaze for years. It was decisive and special, a game of six goals, five of them arguably, of two great goals, a blistering first half by Real Madrid and a sublime turnaround by Pep Guardiola’s orchestra ended when the prospect of a return game next week. , the reality that one of these great teams will end.
Which one of them? At various points in the beginning, City and then Real felt about to suffer a blow which, if not a blow out, would have left them too wounded to prevail. Now the advantage probably lies with the defending champions, simply because the second game is in Manchester. But an evening that showed cracks in their aura of invisibility ended with a feeling of triumph. Passed a test, even without success.
It was partly down to the way Guardiola changed the game with his half-time substitution, but also partly down to the quality of their goals. Given the size of the occasion and the quality of the opposition, Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden and Josko Gvardiol should all have had more taste than their long-range shooting, impressive as it was.
For Silva, there was the sense that Real’s nemesis last season, the architect of their 4-0 elimination at the Etihad Stadium, Bernardo’s big game, remains designed for this occasion. For Foden, the 22nd goal of his extraordinary season was proof that Jude Bellingham is not the only young Englishman to light up the Bernabeu this season. For Gvardiol, signed as the second most expensive defender of all time, it was a good way and place to open his City account.
And yet Real had offered City a reminder that they are the hardest team to beat; without demolishing them 4-0, they are usually a threat. In this game, like the 2022 semi-final, they conceded after two minutes. In each, they collected a quick one-two goal, although this time they came back a bit earlier. And when it seemed that Gvardiol was destined to be the winner at the Bernabeu, Fede Valverde delivered a volley of great technique. Carlo Ancelotti may end this season with his seventh European Cup as player and manager and Real with their 15th.
In a stunning first quarter of an hour, with their own goal in front of them, they traded goals from the men who decided their semi-finals recently, the savior of 2022 Rodrgyo, the hero of 2023 Silva.
The Portuguese struck first from a free kick. Andriy Lunin was set up to expect the cross. With quick thinking and expert execution, Silva fired instead, surprising him with a 30-yard whip that went in from the near post.
But Kevin De Bruyne, sidelined after vomiting, was soon the only City player to feel ill on the bench. Real went from deficit to lead in the blink of an eye. Eduardo Camavinga’s shot was so deflected by Ruben Dias that he fouled Stefan Ortega and was charged to the defender. Then, City’s high defensive line caught out with one pass from Vinicius Junior. Rodrygo ran clear, a shot rolled through Manuel Akanji’s legs and past Ortega; a slow-motion finish that was inch-perfect.
Then City were chasing, Real rampant. The roof of the Bernabeu was closed, to contain the atmosphere generated in these cavernous stands. There was no escaping City in the first half, from the whistles and cheers from the stands, from the enthusiasm of Ancelotti’s players. City looked too open; they weren’t supposed to be the Manchester team that allowed the matchups. They were not in control, the quality awards that Guardiola gave were the greatest. He restored it with a second-half rejig, moving Silva into the middle, pushing John Stones further forward, getting more bodies in midfield. Guardiola’s strategy was to do damage-limitation, but it actually put City ahead.
Although Real had scored twice in the previous four minutes, City delivered two out of five. It was no coincidence that it was Stones with the assist for the equaliser. Playing a more advanced role in the half-time game of musical chairs, he was on the edge of the Real box to challenge Foden to unleash an unstoppable shot that flew past Andriy Lunin. Foden’s progress is such that he was not surprised that he took such a step.
But City’s third surprise goal came from a player whose place was at stake in the absence of Nathan Ake. The cruel interpretation is that Gvardiol’s first touch was so bad the second had to be great. There he was, a rising right-footed shot from 20 yards into the top corner. Briefly, it looked like it would be the match-winner but then Valverde met Vinicius’ deep cross, angling a volley past Ortega. Real had the final say but City, with evidence of Guardiola’s brilliance transforming the tie, could look a little more likely to continue in the competition. But after such a crazy game, who can be completely sure?
