Dramatic Late Goals Secure Real Madrid's Victory Over Manchester City

Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham delivered a dramatic final blow to secure a 3-2 win over Manchester City in the electrifying first leg of their Champions League knockout face-off at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.

Bellingham wasn’t alone in his heroics—Kylian Mbappé and Brahim Díaz also found the back of the net for Real Madrid, cancelling out Erling Haaland’s impressive double for City. This sets the stage for an eagerly anticipated second leg on February 19 in Madrid, pitting two of Europe’s most illustrious football clubs against each other once more.

It was Haaland who initially lit up the scoreboard, netting his first goal against Real Madrid in the 19th minute. Josko Gvardiol skillfully set him up with a chest pass, allowing the Norwegian to volley the ball into the corner. The crowd held their breath during a tense four-minute VAR review for offside, which ultimately upheld the goal.

Equilibrium was restored in the 60th minute when Mbappé capitalized on a free-kick rebound, awkwardly but effectively looping the ball past goalkeeper Éderson with a deft touch off his shin.

The drama continued as Haaland calmly delivered a penalty kick in the 80th minute, awarded after Dani Ceballos fouled Phil Foden in the box. Haaland sent Thibaut Courtois the wrong direction to secure his 48th goal in just 49 Champions League appearances.

However, City’s defense faltered late once again, a recurring issue this season. They have now allowed seven goals in the final 15 minutes of Champions League games. Former City man Díaz seized the opportunity from a botched clearance of Vinicius Jr’s attempt to equalize with an 86th-minute tap-in.

Brahim Díaz and Jude Bellingham’s late strikes ensured Real Madrid left Manchester with a hard-fought victory. England’s own Bellingham clinched the win in the 92nd minute, capitalizing on a miscommunication between Mateo Kovacic and Rico Lewis, which allowed Vinícius Jr. to create a scoring chance that Bellingham finished with composure.

“Scoring the winning goal is a fantastic feeling and it’s great for the team,” commented Díaz. “This was a challenging match, against a formidable opponent… but the battle isn’t over, we have another game to go.”

Both Real Madrid and Manchester City find themselves in a precarious position, having failed to automatically qualify for the last 16 under the new league-phase format. This unexpected situation sets the stage for one of the tournament’s giants to face an early exit.

Reflecting on the match, Bellingham expressed, “Despite trailing, we played some of our best football of the season. We were confident we’d get our chance. Regardless of City’s form, they remain an incredible team. It’s always a challenge, but we capitalized at the end.”

This encounter marks the fourth consecutive year these clubs have crossed paths in the Champions League, though never before at such an early stage. The frequency of their meetings has City’s manager Pep Guardiola likening it to a derby, while Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti describes it as a “modern classic.”

“The defeat is raw and frustrating,” summarized City defender John Stones, encapsulating the team’s collective disappointment. “We were right in it until the end, and then things slipped. If we had closed the game better, we’d be looking at a different situation. The task now is to stay positive despite the setback.”

Carlo Ancelotti encouraged his team to remain composed ahead of the return match. “We didn’t deserve to be behind. Our performance was strong, and we defended well,” he stated. “The win was earned, but we must stay focused. The battle’s only half-finished, and the Bernabeu hosts the decisive moments.”