Last-gasp winner from Jude Bellingham gives Real Madrid advantage in Champions League playoff against Manchester City
Real Madrid did what it always seems to do in the Champions League and snatched victory from the jaws of defeat against Manchester City in the first-leg of its playoff knockout tie on Tuesday.
An 80th-minute penalty converted by Erling Haaland looked to have given City a 2-1 win at the Etihad Stadium, but two late goals from Madrid swung the tie in their favor heading into the second leg at the Santiago Bernabéu in the Spanish capital on February 19.
It was England international Jude Bellingham who once again saved the day for Los Blancos, providing the 92nd minute winner in stoppage time with almost the last kick of the game.
“It was a complete performance by the team from an attacking point of view, and we showed that with the right levels of commitment, we can do anything,” Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti said after the win.
“They all showed great commitment today and the quality of this team is never in doubt. This is the way forward.”
Both sides have struggled with persistent issues – particularly injuries – this season, evident from the fact that both juggernauts need this playoff to reach the knockout stages of the Champions League.
But while Madrid managed to turnaround its form, it was an all too familiar story for City.
The tie had started well for the host, with Haaland scoring his first ever goal against Los Merengues off a well-worked team effort in the 19th minute.
Madrid, playing with a makeshift defense through a string of injuries, continued to look threatening in attack, but it took until the 60th minute before Kylian Mbappé bundled in an equalizer for the visitor.
With the tie in the balance, it was City which once again took the lead through Haaland’s penalty, after Phil Foden was clumsily fouled in the box by Dani Ceballos.
That probably should have been that, but Manchester City’s frailties exposed themselves once again.
City’s mistakes
As has become common this season, Pep Guardiola’s side totally collapsed in the final minutes and conceded two late goals through several individual mistakes.
City goalkeeper Ederson will take a lot of the blame after his miscued kick gave Madrid’s forwards an opportunity to attack in the 86th minute.
The Brazilian shotstopper managed to parry the first effort from Vinícius Jr. but the rebound fell to former City player Brahim Díaz who made no mistake with his finish.
The Etihad looked shell-shocked once again and began fearing what seemed almost inevitable: a late Madrid winner.
And, once again, the subsequent goal was avoidable from a City perspective.
First, defender Rico Lewis got caught on his heels and failed to clear the ball as Vinícius Jr. burst through on goal.
Ederson was then in no-man’s land as the Brazilian attempted to chip the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper. His effort was going wide but Bellingham sprinted onto the ball and turned it into an empty net.
The task facing City now is huge, as it seeks to overturn a one-goal deficit at the intimidating home of the reigning Champions League winner.
“We have to look at ourselves, and at this level, it’s so difficult. It’s not the first time, unfortunately it happened many times and that’s why it’s so difficult,” Guardiola said after the match, speaking about throwing away the lead.
“Always I give credit to the opponent for the quality that they have. But when you arrive at the result at the end, it’s tough. It happens many times, and for the players, it’s difficult.
“I think about how they suffered because they did everything, but we are not able to be solid with decision making in certain moments.”
CNN Senior Sports Analyst Darren Lewis said it was “startling” to see just how much Manchester City has declined in this season’s competition.
“I cannot see a set of circumstances where they go to the Bernabéu and they pull off an upset,” he said.
“They just don’t have that protection for the back four, they don’t have the leadership, the organization.”
Vinícius Jr. motivated by banner
Ahead of the match, City fans unfurled a banner poking fun at Real Madrid’s decision to boycott the Ballon d’Or ceremony last year because Vinícius Jr. had not won the award for men’s best player.
The banner showed a picture of Manchester City midfielder and eventual winner Rodri kissing the award, with the words “Stop Crying Your Heart Out” in reference to the Oasis song of the same name.
Former England international and current CBS pundit Jamie Carragher blasted the City fans for mocking one of the best players in the world.
“Why annoy people? Why wind someone up? Do it at the end of the game if you’ve beat them and knocked them out,” he said.
The Brazilian forward admitted he saw the banner before kick-off but said it only served to motivate his Man of the Match performance.
“At times, the opposing fans do things which spur me on to put in a great performance. I did that again here tonight and we managed to win the game,” he said.
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