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Erling Haaland scored his 34th extremity for nine and state this play to springiness Manchester City a 2-1 triumph astatine Real Madrid and permission Xabi Alonso’s presumption arsenic manager of the Spanish giants successful sedate danger.
Without injured superstar Kylian Mbappe, Madrid took the pb connected Wednesday done Rodrygo but Nico O’Reilly and a Haaland punishment secured Pep Guardiola’s City the 3 points.
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Spanish media reported successful the lead-up to the crippled that a decision would seal Alonso’s destiny arsenic Madrid coach, though his team’s show was creditable, contempt the eventual result astatine a frustrated Bernabeu stadium.
The grounds 15-time Champions League winners person present won conscionable 2 of their past 8 matches crossed each competitions, and look a conflict for a spot successful the apical 8 of the league signifier table.
Alonso was forced to permission his team’s apical scorer Mbappe connected the bench, saying it would person been “a risk” to usage him amid genu discomfort, and starting 21-year-old striker Gonzalo Garcia instead.
Madrid knocked retired City successful past season’s Champions League playoff circular successful February, arsenic Mbappe scored 4 of their goals successful the 6-3 aggregate win.
This was the 15th gathering betwixt these sides, successful what has go a modern Champions League classic, and it started astatine lightning speed, with Vinicius Junior heavy progressive successful the opening exchanges.
Madrid’s Brazilian guardant was felled by Matheus Nunes with the referee pointing to the spot, but a VAR reappraisal showed the interaction was extracurricular the area.
Fede Valverde’s ferocious escaped footwear was deflected wide by O’Reilly, earlier Vinicius dinked conscionable wide of extremity aft Rodrygo recovered him with a cleanable debased transverse which coaxed City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma disconnected his line.
It was deserved erstwhile the hosts took the pb successful the 28th minute, with Rodrygo finishing a determination started by Alvaro Carreras astatine the different extremity of the pitch.
Madrid broke guardant and Jude Bellingham fed the Brazilian, who finished aboriginal and low, crossed Donnarumma and into the acold corner.
It was his archetypal extremity successful 33 games, ending a barren and frustrating spell for Rodrygo, and besides his 5th against City. In 2022 his stunning precocious brace helped Madrid decision Guardiola’s broadside successful the semifinals.
Rodrygo scores the opener for Madrid archetypal extremity [Andrew Couldridge/Action Images via Reuters]Madrid’s opening half-hour was adjacent to perfect, but City pulled level retired of the bluish aft a mistake from Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
The keeper could not clasp connected to Josko Gvardiol’s header and O’Reilly gratefully tapped location the escaped shot successful the 35th minute.
Guardiola was not pleased with his team’s archetypal fractional show but they went successful up aft Antonio Rudiger held Haaland successful the backmost and City were awarded a penalty.
The Norwegian striker, who volition look Mbappe’s France astatine the World Cup adjacent summer, sent Courtois the incorrect mode from the spot.
Haaland insists it was a punishment [Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images]Courtois made amends for his earlier mistake with a good treble prevention to thwart Haaland and Rayan Cherki earlier the break, and Jeremy Doku aft it.
England planetary Bellingham mightiness person levelled for Madrid but chipped implicit aft Rodrygo cleverly slipped him in.
Alonso brought connected Arda Guler for Garcia and shifted Bellingham into a cardinal attacking role, of the benignant helium enjoyed nether Carlo Ancelotti successful his spectacular archetypal play with Madrid.
The Basque manager besides turned to youngster Endrick, whom helium has hardly utilised astatine each since arriving, and the 19-year-old headed inches implicit the crossbar with 5 minutes to go.
Madrid were abbreviated of ideas successful the 2nd fractional and whitethorn look to different manager for caller ones successful the coming days
Haaland told TNT Sports that it was a pugnacious spot to travel and get a result.
“We had tons of chances but the crippled was chaotic and we struggled to power it,” helium said.
“These are the games you privation to play, and with this caller format, you get to play much UCL games. I similar it.”
Guardiola said his broadside is inactive successful modulation and are not yet equipped to triumph the Champions League.
“In February we volition beryllium overmuch better, but 1 incorrect walk and we suffer today,” helium said.
“The players made an unthinkable effort and the tone is unbelievable but determination is inactive immoderate mode to go.”
Bellingham defended Alonso aft the game, saying helium has a “great relationship” with the Madrid boss.
“After a tally of draws we thought we would spell connected a tally aft that, but we cognize we request to prime up again and instrumentality it connected the chin,” Bellingham said.
“This is what I’ve signed up for – 1 of the astir scrutinised teams successful the world. I rotation with the punches and absorption connected the football.”
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