Manchester City and Real Madrid delivered a thrilling first leg in their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal, setting the stage for an equally exciting return clash in northwest England with the tie level at 3-3.
With the score tied at three points, Manchester City and Real Madrid’s spectacular first leg in their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal set the stage for an equally enthralling return match in northwest England.
These two titans of football will play each other in the latter stages of the Champions League for the third straight season, adding to their illustrious history with their fifth knockout match in nine seasons. With a free kick by Bernardo Silva in the second minute of the first leg at the Santiago Bernabéu, City seized the lead early. But Eduardo Camavinga and Rodrygo scored goals for Real Madrid shortly after, giving them the advantage in the opening fifteen minutes.
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Phil Foden’s incredible long-range goal in the 66th minute and Joško Gvardiol’s first goal for City in the 71st seemed to seal a remarkable away victory for the visitors in a thrilling match. However, Federico Valverde’s late volley for Real Madrid levelled the score, meaning that the crucial second leg at the City of Manchester Stadium would be decided by a single goal.
Madrid won their 14th European Cup in the 2021–2022 season after memorably eliminating City in the semifinals. But City made amends the next season, defeating Madrid in the Champions League semifinals with a commanding 4-0 second-leg victory in Manchester.
Although Madrid has a strong record in the Champions League quarterfinals, having won 16 of the 19 meetings, City comes into the game having won three straight in this level of the competition. In this season’s Champions League, both teams won their respective groups and made it past the round of 16 with strong performances.