Manchester City finally produced a Champions League performance worthy of their status as one of European football’s elite clubs by beating Real Madrid 2-1 away in Wednesday’s last-16 first leg after pulling off a stunning late fightback.
Kevin de Bruyne kept his cool to beat Belgium team mate Thibaut Courtois from the penalty spot in the 82nd minute to give City the lead after Gabriel Jesus had headed home a cross from De Bruyne to pull the visitors level in the 78th minute.
Isco had given Real the lead on the hour mark following a sweeping counterattack but the 13-times European champions’ night soon unravelled, culminating in captain Sergio Ramos being sent off for hauling down Jesus in a bid to prevent a third City goal.
Ramos will be suspended for the second leg at the Etihad Stadium on March 17 while City’s influential defender Aymeric Laporte was forced off injured in the first half, another setback in a season marked by fitness troubles.
City coach Pep Guardiola, who has not gone past the quarter final in his three previous seasons with the club, was delighted with how his side turned the match around but also said the tie was still wide open.
“Winning in the Bernabeu gives us great satisfaction, it’s incredible for us and not something this club is used to. I’m very pleased with the result and the performance, we showed great personality,” he said before sounding a note of caution.
“If there is one club who was capable of turning a tie around it is Real Madrid, they have the history and experience in this competition to do it.”
The decision to leave Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling, Fernandinho and David Silva on the bench, push Gabriel Jesus into an unfamiliar role wide on the left and often leave the creative force of De Bruyne isolated up front could easily have backfired.
Guardiola, known for his obsessive attention to detail, has been accused of overthinking when the stakes are ramped up at the sharp end of the Champions League.
It is nine years since the second of his European Cup wins as coach of Barcelona but this time he could revel in how his detailed preparations paid off.
“We had 10 days off in England and in these 10 days I watched the maximum number of Madrid games I could. I make my decisions as a result of what they do,” said Guardiola.
“We decided to play without a striker for the way they defend. They defend so aggressive, man-to-man on the goal kicks, so high and when this happens you have to make the pitch wide. I’m pretty sure (Zinedine) Zidane and his people are going to look at what we have done and the second leg is going to be different.”
Vinicius upset
Madrid winger Vinicius Jr said his side had been treated unfairly by the referee, saying Jesus’s equaliser should have been ruled out for a foul.
Jesus made slight contact with Ramos as he climbed to head home a cross from De Bruyne and cancel out Isco’s opening goal. “Gabriel Jesus committed a foul in the first goal and everyone knows it,” he said.
