Manchester City regained control of their Champions League destiny after a come-from-behind victory over Real Madrid, winning 2-1 at the Bernabéu and returning to the top eight of the league phase table. City were put on the back foot just before the half-hour mark when Real used too much space moving the ball from left to right, with Rodrigo following Jude Bellingham’s pass and firing a low shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma.
The visitors had been lackluster up until then, but Thibaut Courtois was only able to deflect Josko Gvardiol’s header from a corner into the path of Nico O’Reilly to equalize. Nico O’Reilly scored easily. Two minutes before half-time, Erling Haaland converted a penalty after being fouled by Antonio Rudiger, which tilted the game in City’s favor. Set your Express Sport ratings and City player picks…
Gianluigi Donnarumma – 6
They were unable to take a powerful shot on goal, and were forced into a corner kick in the final stages. There wasn’t much to save.
Matheus Nunez – 6
He had a nervous start against Vinicius, but was relieved to see the penalty decision overturned early on. He was hit several times outside the stadium, but recovered well.
Ruben Diaz – 7
Despite being a standout among defenders, City would have been relieved if Mbappe had remained on the bench all night. Bellingham made a crucial block late in the game.
Josko Gvardiol – 6
He was caught without getting a penalty, but it’s a sloppy moment he shows from time to time. It calmed down after that.
Nico O’Reilly – 8
He could have done more to prevent Rodrygo from scoring, but he wasn’t the only one. Other than that, he was exceptional. A strong run to the left and solid defense earned him 8 points.
Nico Gonzalez – 7
Despite a somewhat shaky start, he appeared to be settling into the game, with his steady passing helping City control much of the second half.
Bernardo Silva – 6
Not his best performance. The play was sloppy until the penalty was overturned, but it was easily brought down by Carreras, sparking Rodrygo’s move for a first-half goal.
Phil Foden – 6
By his recent standards, he was quiet and struggled to really make a difference in his games.
Rayan Cherki – 8
They were quiet for the first half hour, but came back to life after giving away a corner kick for O’Reilly’s goal. He had some great moments in the second half and looked at home on this stage.
Jeremy Doc – 6
Although he made some threatening runs and at times had enough space to attack, his decision-making and final ball were similarly poor throughout the season.
Erling Haaland – 7
He took the penalty well and skillfully highlighted the clumsiness of Rudiger’s fouls. Other than that, he was a bit subdued, so it was a bold decision to replace him.
substitute
Tijani Reinders – 6
Contributed to ensuring the safety of the match.
Savigno – 7
With a good run in the final stages, he won a free kick and showed great performance.
Omar Marmouche – 6
City could barely get involved as they looked to maintain their lead.
Nathan Ake – 6
There was little time to make an impact.
