Minute-by-minute report: Join Rob Smyth for updates as the European heavyweights go toe to toe at the Etihad
That’s the end of an engrossing first half of the Etihad. It wasn’t quite the slugfest some of us hoped for, but it was compelling throughout. Madrid’s Fab Four opened City up with alarming ease early on, when Ederson saved from Mbappe and Ake cleared off the line from Mendy.
Madrid, since you asked, have started in a 4-4-2 with Bellingham on the left and Mbappe and Vinicius up front.The home fans have unfurled a huge banner of Rodri kissing the Ballon d’Or with the words STOP CRYING YOUR HEART OUT. Those of a certain age and persuasion will remember that this was the BBC’s choice of song for their England-go-out-of-the-World-Cup montage in 2002.Real Madrid
Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo and Jude Bellingham have scored more than 60 goals between them. After a difficult start, Mbappé has been superb – he collected the award for January’s player of the month on Saturday and has 13 goals in 14 games – and Rodrygo has been outstanding, scoring seven and providing four since the turn of the year.City have only one player on a yellow card, Ruben Dias.
Listen, Jack has had to compete with our wingers but today, with the game we want to play and the movements we need, I decided on him. Listen, since I was born in a little town in Catalonia, my country, Real Madrid have always had unbelievable forwards: Cristiano, Bale, Di Maria, Butragueno, Higuain, Arjen Robben. That’s why they’re always up there.
Well well, fancy seeing these two here. Manchester City and Real Madrid usually meet in the later stages of the, but here they are slumming it in the new playoff round. This, surely, is not what Uefa had in mind when they revamped the Champions League. For neutrals, on the other hand, it’s a mouthwatering prospect, bursting with one of football’s greatest gifts: jeopardy. It’s unthinkable that either City or Madrid will not reach the last 16 of the Champions League. It’s also a certainty.
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