Manchester City 0 Real Madrid 3: City player ratings as Real Madrid brush City aside | OneFootball

Manchester City 0

Real Madrid 3 (Federico Valverde 20′, 27′, 42′)

Here are the City player ratings and match report as Manchester City have been beaten emphatically by Real Madrid 3-nil at the Bernabeu tonight. A first half hat trick from Federico Valverde was enough for Real Madrid to leave the Bernabeu with a 3-nil aggregate lead. Pep Guardiola’s team selection was bold and brave but it resulted in Manchester City putting a disjointed and listless display.

When the starting lineups were announced, Pep Guardiola had made seven changes to the starting lineup that beat Newcastle last weekend. Guardiola had picked an attacking lineup with Erling Haaland, Savinho, Jeremy Doku and Antoine Semenyo all starting. It was clear that Manchester City were going for it in a bid to go at a weakened Real Madrid lineup.

First half.

Both teams enjoyed spells of possession in the opening five minutes of the match. Jeremy Doku made one promising, driving run through the middle of the Real Madrid defence in the second minute that came to nothing after a desperate Antonio Rudiger challenge in his own area. Antoine Semenyo would have the first shot on target in the fifth minute as he hit a left-footed strike straight at Thibaut Courtois in the Real Madrid goal. Following two teasing crosses from Jeremy Doku from the left wing that no Manchester City player got on the end of, Brahim Diaz would have Real Madrid’s first shot on target in the seventh minute. Diaz got himself into a good position in the City area and his low shot was saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma low down to his right.

Following an open first few minutes of the match, the game entered a holding pattern for the next ten minutes. Pep Guardiola’s side enjoyed a solid spell of possession but failed to create any real chances of note until the 17th minute. Real Madrid were defending deep and resolutely. Jeremy Doku was by far Manchester City’s most dangerous attacking player on the left wing. The Belgian winger was giving Real Madrid right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold all sorts of trouble in their one-on-one battle.

Real Madrid take the lead with a simple goal.

The hosts would take the lead in the 20th minute. A simple long ball from Thibaut Courtois over the top of the City defense played in Federico Valverde. Nico O’Reilly misread the flight of the ball, which allowed Valverde to get in behind the City defence. Valverde broke clear and found himself one-on-one with the onrushing Gianluigi Donnarumma. Donnarumma made a mess of coming out; he seemingly thought he was closer to the edge of his area than he actually was, and Valverde rounded the City keeper to tap into an empty net. The goal was simple in its execution, and poor positioning from Marc Guehi, Nico O’Reilly’s error, and Gianluigi Donnarumma’s indecisiveness allowed Real Madrid to take an early lead.

Federico Valverde doubles Real Madrid’s lead.

Real Madrid took a 2-nil lead seven minutes after opening the scoring. Vinicius Junior drove at the City defence from the left wing and played a ball with the outside of his foot towards Federico Valverde. Vinicius Junior’s ball took a deflection off Ruben Dias, which played in Valverde. Valverde beat Gianluigi Donnarumma with a confident left-footed finish to give Alvaro Arbeloa’s side a 2-nil lead. Manchester City were up against it now, and you had to question Pep Guardiola’s team selection at this point of the match.

Valverde makes it 3-nil as Manchester City have it all to do.

Federico Valverde would compete his hat trick in the 42nd minute. Arda Güler played a ball over the top of the City defence that Valverde got on the end of. Valverde produced a magical first touch to lift the ball over Marc Guehi and he beat Gianluigi Donnarumma with a first-time volley to make it 3-nil to Real Madrid. Manchester City’s defence was exposed and in truth, making such drastic changes to the Citu lineup had upset all of the rhythm in City’s play. Federico Valverde had been superb and his hat trick was well-deserved. Real Madrid had also been ruthless as they exposed the glaring issue in Manchester City’s midfield and had success attacking from the left where two of their first half goals came from.

Real Madrid would take a 3-nil lead into halftime. The first half of the tie couldn’t have gone any worse for Manchester City. Their performance was well below par, and Real Madrid had ruthlessly exposed the weaknesses in City’s team selection. City had it all to do after halftime, or the Round of 16 tie was at risk of being over by the final whistle tonight.

Second half.

Tijjani Reijnders replaced Savinho at halftime as Pep Guardiola looked to fortify his midfield. Manchester City had it all to do. Real Madrid almost made it 4-0 as Brahim Diaz made a surging run from midfield into the City area. Diaz cut inside and shot with his right from a good position, which Donnarumma saved. Vinicius Junior looked poised to tap the ball in on the follow-up, but Ruben Dias made a stunning block to prevent Real Madrid from taking a 4-0 lead.

Antoine Semenyo would see a shot/cross saved by Thibaut Courtois at the near post in the 55th minute. Manchester City had a spell of possession and Bernardo Silva played in Semenyo. Semenyo hit the ball straight at Courtois which was turned behind.

Gianluigi Donnarumma gives away and saves a penalty to keep City in the tie.

Real Madrid would earn a penalty a minute later. Another simple long ball over the City defence played in Vinicius Junior. The Brazilian international held off the challenge of Abdukodir Khusanov and rounded Gianluigi Donnarumma. Donnarumma fouled Vinicius Junior as he went around him. Donnarumma would redeem himself for his error when he produced a fine save low down to his left to keep out Vinicius Junior’s poor penalty. Perhaps that could be the moment to provide Pep Guardiola’s side with a spark.

Vinicius Junior would see a shot easily saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 62nd minute. Donnarumma tried to unleash City quickly in possession as he rolled the ball to Rodri. Rodri gave the ball away and Arda Güler fired a shot from outside the area wide. Vinicius Junior would curl a shot wide four minutes later as he cut inside from the left. The Brazilian winger tried to curl a shot in at the far post and the ball went inches wide with Gianluigi Donnarumma scrambling.

Nico O’Reilly almost pulls a goal back for City.

Nico O’Reilly should have pulled a goal back for Manchester City in the 75th minute. O’Reilly dispossessed Real Madrid midfielder Thiago Pitarch in the Real Madrid area and O’Reilly’s challenge became a shot that Thibaut Courtois kept out. The ball went too close to Courtois which helped the Belgian keeper make a stunning save. In truth, that moment summed up Manchester City’s performance.

As the game entered second half stoppage time all of the heat had come completely out of the match. Real Madrid were happy to keep their 3-nil lead, and Manchester City didn’t look like creating an opportunity at all.

The final stages of the match played out without incident, and Real Madrid will be taking a 3-nil lead into the second leg of the Round of 16 tie at the Etihad next week. Pep Guardiola’s setup had to be questioned, as playing Haaland, Doku, Semenyo, and Savinho seemed to play into Real Madrid’s hands. Nico O’Reilly was left playing a role that asked too much of him, and Rodri and Bernardo Silva were swamped in midfield. Real Madrid thoroughly deserved their victory, and City have it all to do next week. But you do wonder if Pep Guardiola had stuck with what had worked so well in terms of Manchester City’s system and tactics, could the night have been different for City.

City player ratings.

Gianluigi Donnarumma-5.5/10: Donnarumma saved a second half penalty but he was nowhere near his best tonight.

Abdukodir Khusanov-5.5/10: Toiled away and I thought he was City’s best defender on the night which isn’t a huge compliment.

Ruben Dias-5/10: Like Guehi he wasn’t at his best but he wasn’t City’s worse player.

Marc Guehi-5/10: Not his best performance but he wasn’t Manchester City’s worst performer on the night.

Nico O’Reilly-4.5/10: O’Reilly wasn’t at his best but he was asked to do much in an unfamiliar role. He looked better when moved into midfield which is where he should have started the match.

Rodri-5/10: Like Bernardo Silva, Rodri was fighting a losing battle in midfield given that City were swamped by a hungry Real Madrid engine room.

Bernardo Silva-5/10: The Manchester City captain toiled away in midfield to no avail. Like Rodri, too much was left to him given the team selection from Pep Guardiola.

Savinho-4/10: Replaced by Tijjani Reijnders at halftime. Savinho was ineffective in the first half as his first touch was poor and he couldn’t get anything to stick.

Antoine Semenyo-5/10: He was poor in the first half like many of his teammates but he was dangerous in the second half. Overall though, not his night.

Jeremy Doku-6/10: Doku was by far and away Manchester City’s most dangerous attacking player.

Erling Haaland-4/10: It is hard to slate Haaland’s performance given that he was starved of any service due to Manchester City’s listless performance. Having said that, Haaland didn’t really get into the game at all and didn’t put himself about.

Substitutes.

Tijjani Reijnders-6/10: The Dutch international wasn’t great but he tried to influence the match.

Rayan Cherki-6/10: The French international came on far to late to have an impact. At least Cherki wanted the ball and tried to make an impact. Compared to some of the players that started and how they performed that was a massive step up.

Rayan Ait-Nouri N/A: Tried to offer a threat from left-back but in truth he should have started the match.

Omar Marmoush-N/A: Not on long enough to mark and he should have come on sooner.