Real Madrid’s Galacticos refuse to bow, while Manchester City keeps falling into the same traps.
Jude Bellingham’s stoppage-time strike completed a breathtaking comeback, handing Madrid a 3-2 lead in its Champions League playoff against City.
In a whirlwind six-minute spell at the end of a relentless first leg Tuesday, the Spanish powerhouse struck twice to seize a crucial edge heading into next week’s clash at the Bernabeu.
City looked in control at the Etihad, leading 2-1 after 80 minutes thanks to Erling Haaland’s brace. But Brahim Diaz and Bellingham flipped the script, stunning the home crowd and exposing a worrying trend – City has now conceded seven goals in the final 15 minutes of Champions League matches this season.
“We need to see games out better, that’s for sure,” City defender John Stones said. “We have to stay positive, which is difficult right now.”
Bellingham slid in to convert Vinicius Junior’s lobbed pass in the second minute of added time, bringing back memories of Madrid’s dramatic comeback against City in the 2022 semifinals. Then, it was Rodrygo who scored twice from the 90th minute, and Madrid eventually sent Pep Guardiola’s team crashing out in extra time.
At least City has a chance to salvage the tie in the second leg, but the sense of deflation was clear after such a late collapse.
“It’s not the first time, unfortunately, it has happened many times, and that’s why it’s difficult,” Guardiola said. “I’ve been here for many years, and we have been an extraordinary team.
“But at the moment, I’m not able ... I’m not good enough, you know, to give something to (give) composure to the team, to (know) how to manage the situations.”
It was another thrilling, white-knuckle ride between these two giants of European soccer, and a one-goal advantage for Madrid means there is still all to play for.
Defeat ended City’s 35-game unbeaten run at home in the Champions League, dating to 2018.
City led through Haaland’s goal in the 19th minute.
By that stage, Madrid had seen a penalty overturned for offside, and a Ferland Mendy goal-bound effort blocked by Manuel Akanji.
Vinicius Junior then hit the bar with a curling shot, and Akanji also clipped the frame of the goal with a header.
Haaland hit the bar again less than a minute into the second half.
Madrid equalized on the hour through a freakish goal from Kylian Mbappe when his miskicked volley wrong-footed Ederson and looped softly over the line.
Mbappe hit the post with another chance before Dani Ceballos brought Phil Foden down just inside the box, and Haaland’s penalty restored City’s lead.
On came former City academy player Diaz, who left City for Madrid in 2019. He leveled the game before Bellingham’s winner.
“I don’t care what form City are in, they are still an unbelievable team and so difficult to play against, the way they move you and manipulate your position,” Bellingham said. “It’s always really tricky to play against them, and in the end, we took one of the many chances finally and made it count.”
Paris Saint-Germain took a big step toward the round of 16 by beating Brest 3-0, and Juventus won 2-1 against PSV Eindhoven. Borussia Dortmund also looks on course for the next round after a 3-0 win at Sporting Lisbon.
Ousmane Dembele struck twice for PSG to extend his scoring streak to 10 games.
His outstanding form has seen him score 18 goals during that run.
It was his shot that led to PSG taking the lead through a 21st-minute penalty after Pierre Lees-Melou handled in the area. Vitinha converted the spot kick.
Dembele scored his first in the 45th when he broke free down the right and curled a shot inside the post. His second came in the 66th when he pounced on a loose ball and burst into the penalty area to score his 23rd goal of the season.
Having struggled through the new-look league phase of the tournament, PSG is now in firm control, and it would take a major upset in the second leg in Paris to deny the French champion a place in the next round.
Substitute Samuel Mbangula grabbed a late winner for Juventus, scoring his first Champions League goal.
The 21-year-old Belgian forward reacted quickly when goalkeeper Walter Benitez spilled a low cross from the right by Francisco Conceição in the 82nd.
Juventus took the lead late in the first half from Weston McKennie’s powerful strike into the top corner from just inside the penalty area.
Veteran midfielder Ivan Perisic calmed the home fans with a fine finish in the 56th.
Serhou Guirassy scored his 10th Champions League goal of the season as Borussia Dortmund beat Sporting Lisbon 3-0.
Guirassy scored one goal and set up another for Pascal Groß as Dortmund struck twice in the space of eight minutes, both goals coming from crosses.
Karim Adeyemi finished off a rapid counterattack to score Dortmund’s third in the 82nd as Sporting pushed forward and left space at the back.
Sporting hasn’t won in five Champions League games since coach Ruben Amorim left for Manchester United in November. It was the first Champions League game for new Dortmund coach Niko Kovac.
