Champions League nights are full of flowing emotions. We witness great tactical plays, individual plays, moments, and whatnot. The most prestigious club footballing tournament, The UEFA Champions League has many clubs competing but despite many clubs participating, some stand above the rest.
Real Madrid has the most Champions League trophies, winning it 14 times and leaving all other clubs behind in the dust. It is also called the owner of The Champions League. It has given us many iconic moments in the tournament that have gone into the books of history as ‘The Greatest Comeback Ever’ and many more. It is special in a way of its own and is known to come out of situations that seem impossible to overcome.
Manchester City, one of the greatest competitors for the Champions League for the last 4-5 seasons. A team is nothing short of a footballing phenomenon. It isn’t a very old or historical club but it is one with glory in the present time. The best thing about this team is its manager, Pep Guardiola. Winning the treble last season gives Manchester City the confidence to go into this Champions League campaign.
The First Leg of the Champions League Quarter Finals:
The first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal clash between Real Madrid and Manchester City did not disappoint, a six-goal thriller that left the tie wide open. The match was played in Spain at Real Madrid’s home stadium, The Santiago Bernabéu. The match showcased the attacking prowess of both teams, showing us the ‘never-say-die’ attitude.
The Madrid crowd was left stunned two minutes into the match when City’s Bernardo Silva took advantage of Real Madrid’s one-man wall, scoring from outside the box and drilling a freekick into the net.
During the game, Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni, who was playing as an emergency center-back, received a yellow card for the foul on Jack Grealish that led to the goal. Unfortunately, Tchouameni will miss the return leg in Manchester next Wednesday.
On a positive note, Eduardo Camavinga helped to level the scores after 12 minutes. His long-range strike deflected off defender Ruben Dias and resulted in an own goal after wrong-footing keeper Stefan Ortega.
Two minutes after kick-off, Vinicius Junior delivered a brilliant through ball that Rodrygo took in his stride. However, his weak goal-bound shot was deflected by Manuel Akanji, which gave the hosts the lead. Madrid had the momentum and should have extended their lead, but Rodrygo misfired twice from the edge of the box late in the first half. Vinicius also missed a close-range strike over the bar early in the second half. City piled on the pressure and leveled in the 66th minute through a stunning Phil Foden strike into the top corner. They went ahead when Josko Gvardiol fired home five minutes later with an equally sublime finish. However, Federico Valverde’s glorious volley in the 79th minute rescued a draw for Real on another epic Champions League night. The match left the fans eager for more in the return leg in Manchester.
Valverde commented on the equalizer saying, “It lifted our spirits a bit for the return leg. A draw is a bit like last year, it feels like a defeat. The most important thing is that we knew how to respond to the goal, scoring twice in a few minutes, which motivated us. However, we rested a bit and that wasn’t good. We stopped pressing a bit due to tiredness, and they have good players. Nevertheless, we both played a great game.”