Manchester City 1 Real Madrid 2: City player ratings as City’s Champions League campaign ends | OneFootball

Manchester City 1 (Erling Haaland 41′)

Real Madrid 2 (Vinicius Junior 22′ (P), 90+3)

Real Madrid win 5-1 on aggregate.

Here are the Manchester City player ratings and match report as City went down 2-1 to Real Madrid tonight at the Etihad Stadium. The result sees City crash out of the Champions League at the Round of 16 stage with a 5-1 aggregate defeat. Bernardo Silva’s first-half red card for a deliberate handball that kept out a Vinicius Junior shot was the defining moment of tonight’s match. To Manchester City’s credit, they never gave up the fight and went down swinging despite playing over 70 minutes with ten men. But in truth, City’s Champions League hopes were ended at the Bernabeu last week.

Pep Guardiola made four changes to the starting lineup that drew 1-1 with West Ham last weekend. Ruben Dias, Tijjani Reijnders, Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki all came into the City starting eleven for tonight’s match. Marc Guehi, Nico O’Reilly, Antoine Semenyo and Omar Marmoush all dropped to the bench for tonight’s match. There looked to be more creativity and goal threat in City’s lineup, as Pep Guardiola’s side needed to beat Real Madrid by three goals to at least send tonight’s UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie into extra time.

First half.

Real Madrid created the first chance of the match inside the opening minute. A simple ball over the top of the City defence from Arda Güler played in Fede Valverde. Valverde had all the time in the world to try and chip Gianluigi Donnarumma, but Valverde scuffed his shot straight into Donnarumma’s arms.

Manchester City would respond instantly as Rayan Cherki hit a powerful shot from just inside the Real Madrid area straight at Thibaut Courtois a minute later. Rodri would see a shot saved by Courtois from a tight angle on the right-hand side of the Madrid area 30 seconds after Cherki’s shot. Tijjani Reijnders would have a shot blocked from a great position by Dean Huijsen after some superb play from Rayan Cherki set up the chance for the Dutch international in the 5th minute. The tempo seemed to be set early for tonight’s match.

Real Madrid take the lead from the penalty spot as Bernardo Silva is sent off.

Manchester City were up for the occasion as they did drop Real Madrid with their possession play. However, Vinicius Junior would hit the post in the 16th minute as Real Madrid got in behind the City defence on the break. Bernardo Silva would then clear a shot from Vinicius Junior off the line that led to a penalty shout for handball by the City captain.

The game was then delayed as VAR checked for a penalty. Real Madrid was awarded a penalty, and Bernardo Silva was sent off for a deliberate handball that kept Vinicius Junior’s shot out. The Brazilian international easily dispatched the penalty in the 22nd minute, seemingly ending Manchester City’s hopes of a miracle comeback.

Jeremy Doku would set up Erling Haaland with a golden opportunity for Manchester City to pull a goal back a minute later. Doku played a low ball in from the left wing which found Haaland. Haaland’s first time shot from six-yards out was stunningly saved by Thibaut Courtois to deny City an unlikely way back into the tie.

The game was resembling a basketball game as City kept fighting.

Following Courtois’ save the game resembled a basketball match. Haaland saw a shot from a tight angle saved by Courtois in the 25th minute and Rodri put the subsequent rebound wide. Either side of that moment, Vinicius Junior put two golden opportunities wide as Real Madrid had acres of space to counter into as City pushed forward with ten men.

Brahim Diaz would hit a shot straight at Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 37th minute. Diaz worked himself into a superb position to shoot with a sublime piece of skill that left Ruben Dias on the floor. Brahim Diaz his shot shot straight at Donnarumma that hit the Italian keeper and stayed out. Real Madrid were beginning to dominate possession as all of the sting had come out of Manchester City’s play and the Etihad Stadium crowd.

Erling Haaland gives Manchester City  a lifeline.

Manchester City would equalize in the 41st minute. Pep Guardiola’s side continued to fight despite being down to ten men. Jeremy Doku once again put a teasing low cross across the six-yard box that Haaland squeezed into the back of the net to make it 1-1 on the night. Perhaps there was an unlikely way back into the game for City after Haaland’s goal.

The first half would end with tension between the two teams. Abdukodir Khusanov felled Vinicius Junior with a strong challenge and that would be the final moment of an eventful first half. Real Madrid were in firm control of the Round of 16 tie with a 4-1 aggregate lead. To their credit, Manchester City were fighting with ten men to try and somehow get back into the tie.

Second half.

Erling Haaland almost pulled another goal back for Manchester City in the 49th minute. Jeremy Doku picked out Haaland with another good low cross. Haaland hit a first-time shot that Real Madrid’s substitute keeper Andriy Lunin kept out with a good save low down to his right. Erling Haaland put the rebound over the bar under pressure from the Real Madrid defence as he shot with his right foot.

Andriy Lunin would deny Erling Haaland again in the 54th minute. Rayan Ait-Nouri would win the ball back for City just outside the Real Madrid area. Ait-Nouri slipped in Erling Haaland who fired in a powerful shot at goal that Lunin punched away. The rebound fell to Rodri outside the area who fired his low drive wide.

Jeremy Doku would see a goal ruled out for offside in the 63rd minute. Manchester City broke forward from a Real Madrid corner and Rayan Cherki drove at Real’s stretched backline. Cherki slipped in Doku who beat Andriy Lunin with a cool finish. However, Doku had strayed inches offside and the goal was ruled out.

Abdukodir Khusanov would put a low drive just wide in the 66th minute but it did seem that Andriy Lunin had Khusanov’s shot covered. Manchester City were still fighting to their credit to somehow get back into the tie.

Gianluigi Donnarumma makes a great save to keep the score at 1-1.

Aurelien Tchouamini would see a near post header saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 69th minute. Real Madrid delivered a corner to the near post that Tchouamini flicked on. Donnarumma tipped the ball over the crossbar with a superb reflex save.

Rayan Cherki would curl an effort from just outside the area in the 73rd minute. Cherki worked himself into a shooting position with some clever footwork. Unfortunately, Cherki’s powerful shot went inches wide with Andriy Lunin scrambling.

Rayan Ait-Nouri would force Andriy Lunin to make a strong save in the 78th minute. Jeremy Doku teed up Ait-Nouri for a shot from a good position on the left. On the follow-up, Rayan Cherki would pick out Ait-Nouri unmarked at the backpost. The Algerian international beat Lunin with a quality header but Ait-Nouri was clearly offside.

As the game entered the final minutes Manchester City were still pushing to find a goal that would likely see them win tonight’s match. Real Madrid did have a goal chalked off for offside from Fede Valverde in the 83rd minute and perhaps they could’ve also had a penalty a minute earlier as Rayan Ait-Nouri pulled back Kylian Mbappe when the French international was almost clean through on goal.

Vinicius Junior would have a goal ruled out for offside in the first minute of second half stoppage time. Gianluigi Donnarumma saved a Fede Valverde shot that fell into the path of Vinicius Junior who bundled the ball across the goal line. But the goal was ruled out as Vinicius Junior was just offside.

Vinicius Junior wins the game for Real Madrid.

But Vinicius Junior would win the match for Real Madrid two minutes later. The Brazilian winger tapped in a quality Aurelien Tchouamini cross to give Real Madrid a 2-1 lead on the night.

Vinicius Junior’s goal would be the final moment of the match. Manchester City had fought valiantly with ten men for over 70 minutes. Perhaps City deserved to win tonight’s match but they didn’t deserve to win the tie. The damage was done at the Bernabeu and Manchester City were facing an uphill battle tonight.

Bernardo Silva’s first half red card effectively ended City’s chances of pulling off a monumental comeback. To City’s credit they did show tremendous team spirit and character to keep pushing until the end of the match. That is something that Pep Guardiola’s side can take from their exit in this season’s UEFA Champions League.

City player ratings.

Gianluigi Donnarumma-6.5/10: Donnarumma made one impressive save and wasn’t as busy as he would’ve expected to be with City down to ten men for over 70 minutes. 

Matheus Nunes-7/10: The Portuguese international got forward well and did his job at the back before he was taken off with one eye on Sunday’s Carabao Cup final. 

Abdukodir Khusanov-9/10: A brilliant performance at the back from Khusanov. His pace snuffed out several Real Madrid attacks and he was strong in a challenge when required. He must start the Carabao Cup against Arsenal. 

Ruben Dias-6/10: Taken off at halftime perhaps in a bid to save him for Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against Arsenal. Not his best performance but he was up for the fight.

Rayan Ait-Nouri-7.5/10: Ait-Nouri did well tonight both defensively and going forward. 

Rodri 8/10- Manchester City’s midfield general gave all he could before he was substituted.

Bernardo Silva-4/10: Let his team down when he was sent off for a deliberate handball to keep out a Vinicius Junior shot. He had started the game well in midfield prior to that iincident. His rating is low as that was the defining moment of tonight’s match. Having said that, Bernardo was giving his all for his team in that moment as he always does.

Tijjani Reijnders-3/10: The night was made for Reijnders to show something. He didn’t do that. His touch was poor and he didn’t offer anything. It was really disappointing to see.

Rayan Cherki-8.5/10: Cherki was brilliant tonight. Created chances for his team and never stopped working. Surely his performance is enough to show Pep Guardiola that Cherki must be a first team regular. 

Jeremy Doku-9/10: Manchester City’s man-of-the-match for me. He grabbed an assist and he was a constant threat all night.

Erling Haaland-7/10: A much better performance from Haaland. He scored a goal and his overall performance was lively. The fact that he was provided with service made a world of difference. 

Substitutes.

Nathan Ake-6/10: Ake was solid at the back after coming on.

Marc Guehi-6/10: Did his job at the back but did switch off for Vinicius Junior’s late winner.

Antoine Semenyo-6/10: Got into some dangerous positions but his heavy touch let him down.

Omar Marmoush-6/10: Got on the ball on a few occasions but didn’t have the opportunity to do much.

Nico-N/A: Not on long enough to mark.