Real Madrid, Manchester City Share Spoils After 6-Goal Thriller
Real Madrid and Manchester City played out a thrilling 3-3 draw in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final clash, at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, leaving the tie between the last two holders of the trophy wide open for the second leg.
The home crowd had been left stunned after two minutes when City midfielder Bernardo Silva took advantage of a one-man wall to drill a low free kick from 40 metres just inside goalkeeper Andriy Lunin’s post to give the visitors the lead.
Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga helped level the scores after 12 minutes when his long-range strike deflected off defender Ruben Dias for an own goal after wrong-footing keeper Stefan Ortega. Two minutes later, Rodrygo deflected shot off defender Manuel Akanji was enough for Real Madrid to take the lead.
In the second half, Manchester City equalised in the 66th minute with a stunning Phil Foden strike into the top corner and went ahead as defender Josko Gvardiol fired home in similar fashion five minutes later for his first City goal. 3-2 to City!
However, Real Madrid were determined to fight its way back into the match as midfielder Federico Valverde produced a brilliant strike in the 79th minute to rescue a draw on another epic UEFA Champions League night that left the fans eager for more in the second leg in Manchester next week.
What a match. #UCL pic.twitter.com/9I2jZgnQBX
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) April 9, 2024
“It was entertaining, (a game) that dignifies the competition, with two teams attacking,” Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said after the match. “The three (second half) goals were incredible. We took the lead but they equalised and that’s football.”
It was another epic encounter as the teams faced each other in a Champions League knockout tie for a third year running.
Real Madrid eliminated Manchester City in the 2022 semi-finals, but Guardiola’s side gained revenge a year later at the same stage. The winners of the tie ended up lifting the trophy both times.
“We wanted to win and go out with an advantage to the second leg but we conceded goals that should not have happened,” Real Madrid forward Rodrygo said.
“We needed to take control of the game and failed at doing that, I think we could have done better. But it is what it is, we must learn and go to the second leg more focused. The tie is wide open and we will go there to make the most of the chances we create.”
UEFA Champions League/Reuters/Chidi Nwoke.
