Manchester City vs Real Madrid LIVE: Champions League result and reaction as visitors snatch late win
Manchester City 2-3 Real Madrid: Jude Bellingham struck in stoppage time to snatch a first-leg advantage in the play-off tie
Real Madrid produced their latest Champions League late show to snatch a first-leg advantage in their mighty play-off clash with Manchester City.
The visitors had appeared bound for a defeat at the Etihad Stadium after Erling Haaland’s penalty ten minutes from time had put the hosts back ahead, but former Manchester City player Brahim Diaz equalised moments after being brought on before Jude Bellingham pilfered a 3-2 win with virtually the final touch. For Pep Guardiola, it must have felt awfully familiar, another implosion in a season full of them.
Until those final minutes, it had been an encouraging night for the Premier League club, producing an improved performance and twice going ahead. Haaland struck twice, his first beautifully constructed and firmly finished before the Norwegian converted from the penalty spot after Phil Foden had been felled. But one always feared that Manchester City’s defensive vulnerabilities might show up against a dynamic forward line, with Diaz and Bellingham adding to Kylian Mbappe’s initial equaliser to allow the hosts to take a one-goal lead into the second leg at the Bernabeu.
Re-live all of the action from the Etihad Stadium in our live blog below:
Manchester City 1-0 Real Madrid, 48 minutes
How will Rico Lewis do up against Vinicius Jr? Manuel Akanji performed his defensive duties rather well, I thought, though the Brazilian had his moments. The new Manchester City right-back covers a long ball nicely in the opening skirmishes of the second half.
Manchester City 1-0 Real Madrid, 46 minutes
So close to a second! Kevin De Bruyne finds a cute outside-of-the-foot pass through to Erling Haaland, who chops down on the ball as he shoots and sends it cannoning against the crossbar.
Second half...
News of a half-time change, and a second substitution in 45 minutes for Manchester City - Manuel Akanji appeared to suffer a knock at the end of that half, and Rico Lewis has been summoned.
Phil Foden was on earlier for Jack Grealish.
ANALYSIS: More goals to come?
A terrific first half in which City resembled their old selves for the first time in months. Real have had plenty of threat, too, and 1-0 feels one of a lot of possible scorelines at this point. It could be very different by the end of the night.
HT: Manchester City 1-0 Real Madrid
Bright and breezy stuff in Manchester. Real Madrid started the better and could have had a couple of goals inside 15 minutes, but Erling Haaland’s sharply-taken, nicely-constructed strike has the hosts ahead at the interval. More goals to come, one feels, though.
Manchester City 1-0 Real Madrid, 45 + 4 minutes
There’s no deflection on that one, and that’s awful from Mbappe! A glorious chance after great work from Rodrygo, but the Frenchman leans back as he hits and troubles only the patrons in the upper reaches of the stand behind the Manchester City goal.
Manchester City 1-0 Real Madrid, 45 + 2 minutes
A slightly hairy moment for Ederson as a deflection on Kylian Mbappe’s shot sends it looping up out of his reach. Behind for a corner it flies, but not before a moment or two of panic from the goalkeeper.
Manchester City 1-0 Real Madrid, 45 minutes
Into four additional minutes at the end of the half.
Manchester City 1-0 Real Madrid, 43 minutes
Fizzed o’er the top! Beautiful technique from Fede Valverde as he strikes with the side of his foot from 25 yards, a little too much height preventing Ederson from having to save. Potent, powerful and poised - but not precise.
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