These two European giants served up a six-goal thriller in the Bernabéu tonight. We look back at the encounter on our Real Madrid vs Manchester City stats page.
Six goals were shared as Manchester City and Real Madrid backed up their claims as Europe’s biggest clubs in this 3-3 draw. The top two sides in the Opta Power Rankings served up an enthralling first-leg match at the Santiago Bernabéu, whetting the appetite for next week’s second leg at the Etihad Stadium.
Not since 6 December in their Premier League clash at Aston Villa, 125 days ago, have City tasted defeat in a competitive match, and this draw moved them on to 26 games unbeaten. This, despite being dealt a pre-match blow with Kevin De Bruyne only fit enough to sit on the bench due to illness.
Pep Guardiola’s side couldn’t have hoped for a better start. Just 109 seconds in, Bernardo Silva outfoxed Real goalkeeper Andriy Lunin with a clever free-kick to open the scoring. With many expecting an inswinging cross, Silva caught Madrid napping and his sneaky shot put City into an early lead. It took the Portuguese to four UCL goals against Real Madrid, more than he has against any other opponent.
It was the second-earliest goal scored against Real Madrid at the Bernabéu in the Champions League after Mario Mandzukic for Juventus in April 2018 (77 seconds). Incredibly, it arrived just over a minute after Aurélien Tchouaméni had received a yellow card for a poor tackle on Jack Grealish. That card rules the Frenchman out of the second leg.
It didn’t take Real Madrid long to overcome their early setback, however. An unfortunate Rúben Dias own goal and then a Rodrygo strike inside the space of two minutes turned the game in favour of the home side.
Their opener came after French midfielder Eduardo Camavinga was allowed to come inside off the right flank before shooting from outside the box. A huge deflection off the hip of City captain Dias wrong-footed Stefan Ortega in the City goal.
Rodrygo would put the Spanish giants 2-1 ahead soon after, racing onto an excellent pass from compatriot Vinícius Júnior before poking the ball onto the foot of Manuel Akanji and through the legs of Ortega. In doing so, this became just the second UCL knockout match ever to see as many as three goals scored inside the opening 14 minutes, after Man City vs Tottenham in 2019 (2-2 inside 11 minutes).
The second half saw Manchester City patiently probe Real Madrid with the bulk of their possession coming in the attacking half, but until Phil Foden’s excellent 66th-minute equaliser, they didn’t really threaten the Spanish side’s goal.
The England international’s arrowed strike from outside the area into the top corner of the net continued his excellent form across 2023-24. It was his 22nd competitive goal of the season – six more than in any previous campaign.
Only three Premier League players – Erling Haaland (30), Ollie Watkins (24) and Mohamed Salah (23) – have scored more than Foden this season in all competitions, while no English top-flight player has now appeared in more matches (45), testament to his coach’s faith in him.
Another exceptional strike from long range, this time from defender Gvardiol, saw City tally three goals from outside the area in a game for the first time since October 2011, while it was the Croatian’s first goal in a City shirt.
A crucial and mightily impressive away-leg victory was not to be for City, however, with Federico Valverde’s equaliser in the 79th minute providing yet another brilliant strike to enjoy. The Uruguayan’s sweet finish extended Real’s unbeaten home run to 27 matches, while Carlo Ancelotti was able to come away from his 200th Champions League game as a coach with some positivity.
These two exceptional sides will meet again in Manchester next Wednesday to decide who advances to the semi-finals. Will the reigning champions or the record champions progress? We can’t wait to find out.
Real Madrid vs Manchester City Timeline
Real Madrid vs Manchester City Stats Centre
Our live Opta match centre delivers you all the Real Madrid vs Manchester City stats from Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final first leg at the Bernabéu.
The match centre below includes team and player stats, expected goals data, passing networks, an Opta chalkboard and more. It gives you everything you need to do your own in-game and post-match analysis.
Real Madrid vs Manchester City Post-Match Facts
- This was the first knockout stage game in the UEFA Champions League to end in a draw despite both teams leading since May 2018, in a 2-2 draw between Real Madrid and FC Bayern Munich (semi-final second leg).
- Real Madrid 3-3 Manchester City was only the fourth time in the UEFA Champions League that both teams have scored 3+ goals in the first leg of two-legged knockout stage tie, with the previous instance also being between these two sides (Manchester City 4-3 Real Madrid in the 2021-22 semi-finals).
- Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is winless in his last three matches at the Santiago Bernabeu against Real Madrid (D2 L1); his longest run of games there as the visiting coach without a victory (W6 D2 L1 in his first nine).
- This was only the second ever knockout stage match in the UEFA Champions League to see three goals scored in the opening 14 minutes of play (Real Madrid 2-1 Manchester City), after Man City vs Tottenham in April 2019 (2-2 after 11 minutes).
- Phil Foden has scored six goals from outside the box for Manchester City this season; the most of any player for a Premier League club across all competitions.
- Bernardo Silva’s goal for Manchester City after 108 seconds was the second-earliest goal scored by a visiting side against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu in the UEFA Champions League, after only Mario Mandzukic for Juventus in April 2018 (77 seconds).
- Real Madrid’s Rodrygo has scored three goals against Manchester City in the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League, with all three coming at the Santiago Bernabeu. Only former teammate Karim Benzema (4) has scored more against the Citizens in the knockout rounds of the competition.
- Manchester City forward Erling Haaland hasn’t scored in any of his three career appearances against Real Madrid (8 shots and 6 shots on target, 0 goals). Indeed, they’re now the opponent he’s played against most often in European competition without finding the net.
- This was Manchester City’s first UEFA Champions League knockout stage game without Ederson in the starting XI since March 2018 vs FC Basel (Claudio Bravo), with the Brazilian having started each of the previous 31 in a row before tonight.
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