Now this is what the Champions League is all about. Arguably the two best football teams on the planet trading show-stopping goals during a six-goal thriller on perhaps the game’s greatest stage, the iconic Santiago Bernabeu.
Real Madrid 3-3 Manchester City. A matches which puts the ‘beautiful’ in the Beautiful Game.
“Good match. An advert for football,” was the reaction of Carlo Ancelotti, the veteran Los Blancos boss speaking to Sport Mediaset at full-time.
“It was an incredible game for both teams. We have no doubts about the quality of what we saw on the pitch. Two extraordinary teams. The result was adequate. We are satisfied with what we have done, and we hope to repeat it in Manchester.”
Real Madrid and Man City play out Champions League classic
Real appeared to be in control of proceedings until two wonderful goals befitting of such an occasion turned a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead in the second-half. Phil Foden, repeating his effort from the Manchester derby, cut inside and blasted a thunderbolt into the top corner of Andriy Lunin’s net.
If Ancelotti felt Real should have done more to close down the Man City dangerman, then the 64-year-old can maybe have a little sympathy for the Los Blancos backline as they stood off Josko Gvardiol a few minutes later.
A left-footed defender lining up a long-range strike on his right foot, having never scored a City goal before? The way Gvardiol caressed a sublime effort into the Real net was a rather brutal reminder of the supreme technical quality throughout Pep Guardiola’s roster.
Phil Foden and Josko Gvardiol score stunners
“The reflection is that it was a very good game from our side, evenly matched and competitive while we had the energy to press up front,” adds Ancelotti, who’s side bounced back from a second minute free-kick from Bernardo Silva with deflected strikes from Eduardo Camavinga and Rodrygo.
“We started very badly with a goal against, but then we stole a lot of balls, looking for transitions. Afterwards it was a bit more complicated. We had the chance to go 3-1 up, they scored two great goals and we had the commitment to tie the game.
“Now we have a small disadvantage playing away, but with the confidence that we can repeat the game we played here.
“They punished us with two goals into the top corner. It was a fair draw, having fought on equal terms with them gave us gives confidence for the return match. The only regret is (there were) some opportunities that we could have exploited better when we were 2-1 (up).”
Fede Valverde’s stinging volley eventually rescued a draw for the hosts, who will travel to the Etihad for the second leg next week.
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