Jude Bellingham bagged a stoppage time strike to help secure a 3-2 win for Real Madrid against Manchester City in the first leg of the Champions League playoff at the Etihad on Tuesday.
It was a game that saw City led twice off Erling Haaland brace but Madrid fought back with former Cityzen player Brahim Diaz and Kylian Mbappe also scoring for Carlo Ancelotti’s men
Both teams will meet in the second leg on Wednesday, February 19, 2025 at the Santiago Bernabeu.
In the 15th minute a dangerous ball went into Madrid’s box was intercepted by Federico Valverde.
City then took the lead thanks to Haaland who received a chested pass from Josko Gvardiol and slotted past Thibaut Courtois.
There was a long check by VAR for a possible offside but the goal was eventually given.
With 10 minutes left Phil Foden, who came on for the injured Jack Grealish, hit a superb volley outside the box on 35 minutes but Courtois punched the ball away.
Three minutes into the second half Foden once again tested Courtois who once again was up to the task.
In the 55th minute Mbappe connected with a cutback from Rodrygo but Ederson Palmer his strike away.
Mbappe then made it 1-1 on 60 minutes as his lucky strike off a lobbed pass from Ceballos ended inside the net.
Valverde almost put Madrid ahead in the 69th minute only to see his low strike go just wide.
City went 2-1 up on 80 minutes through Haaland who scored from the penalty spot after Ceballos fouled Foden.
But with three minutes left Madrid equalised as Diaz volleyed home after Ederson failed to hold on to Vinicius initial shot.
Bellingham then netted the winner as he tapped into an empty net thanks to good work from Vinicius.
In other play-offs fixtures that took place on Tuesday, Paris Saint-Germain thrashed fellow French side Brest 3-0 away, Juventus pipped visiting PSV 2-1 and Borussia Dortmund hammered Sporting Lisbon 3-0 in Portugal.
