UCL: Madrid and City draw classic, Arsenal halt Bayern turnaround
Real Madrid and Manchester City drew an extraordinary first leg at the Santiago Bernabéu in a UEFA Champions League quarter-final full of drama, quality and goals.
Real coach Carlo Ancelotti’s 200th Champions League match is not one the Italian will forget in a hurry as a pulsating, scintillating encounter more than lived up to the lofty pre-match expectations.
The game got off to an remarkable start, City midfielder Bernardo Silva scoring against Real Madrid for a third successive season as he caught out goalkeeper Andriy Lunin with a clever free-kick after only two minutes to stun the Bernabéu into silence.
Just ten minutes later, though, Madrid were level, Eduardo Camavinga’s effort from outside the box taking a wicked deflection off City defender Rúben Dias to wrongfoot Stefan Ortega.
That gave the hosts momentum, and two minutes after equalising they took the lead, Rodrygo running onto Vinícius Júnior’s delightful pass and poking a shot through Stefan Ortega’s legs with the help of a touch off Manuel Akanji.
There was no let-up in the action in the second half, both teams missing chances before City’s talented young midfielder Phil Foden collected a John Stones pass and unleashed a delightful curling shot into the top corner for his fifth goal in his last six Champions League appearances to level at 2-2.
Five minutes later Joško Gvardiol chose the perfect time to score his first-ever City goal, crashing an unstoppable long-range strike inside Lunin’s left-hand upright.
But just when it looked like City would be taking an advantage back to Manchester, Federico Valverde met a Vinícius Júnior cross with a stunning low volley to take the roof off the Bernabéu.
In the end there was nothing to choose between the teams, with football the real winner in this most entertaining of games. Fans will now be counting down the days for the return in Manchester on 17 April.
Arsenal and Bayern will start the second leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie on level terms following an enthralling 2-2 draw in north London.
Gabriel Martinelli’s early shot may have served warning of Arsenal’s intent, but there was little Bayern could do when Saka honed in on the target after 12 minutes. The England winger allowed Ben White’s cute pass inside to run beyond him, turned and curled in a delightful first-time finish.
White could have then doubled the hosts’ lead only to be thwarted by Manuel Neuer, and two minutes later Bayern were level. Leon Goretzka provided the perfectly-weighted through ball and former Arsenal winger Serge Gnabry – on the slide – supplied the finish through David Raya’s legs.
The visitors completed their turnaround just after the half-hour, Harry Kane sending Raya the wrong way with a penalty. The England captain may have done the deed from the spot, but Leroy Sané’s scintillating run which led to the kick being awarded warrants credit all of its own.
Thomas Tuchel’s side looked to have the Gunners at arm’s length for much of the second half, but substitute Leandro Trossard once again showed his predatory instincts soon after coming on, side-footing his first-time finish into the bottom corner. Kudos to Gabriel Jesus for the set-up play on this occasion.
Kingsley Coman so nearly restored Bayern’s lead in the first minute of added time, but his instinctive jab at a cross from the left came back off the woodwork. Honours even heading to Munich
