Real stun Man City with late comeback in UCL thriller

Manchester City was leading 2-1 with just four minutes left in regulation time at their home ground, Etihad Stadium. However, Pep Guardiola’s side couldn’t withstand Real Madrid’s late onslaught. Before this match, Real had never defeated City within 90 minutes at the Etihad, but this time, they made history.

In a thrilling finish, Real Madrid secured a dramatic comeback victory, winning 3-2. Substitute Brahim Díaz equalized in the 86th minute to make it 2-2. Just moments before the final whistle, Jude Bellingham scored the winning goal from a Vinícius Júnior assist. Earlier, Kylian Mbappé had netted the first goal for Real Madrid.

On Tuesday night, the trio’s brilliance secured an exciting win for Real at City’s home ground. This victory put the Spanish champions in a strong position for the Champions League round of 16. The second-leg playoff match will be held at Real Madrid’s home ground, Santiago Bernabéu, on February 19.

This was the first time in Champions League history that Manchester City lost a home match after taking the lead twice. Erling Haaland’s two goals went in vain. City, playing in a 4-1-4-1 formation, dominated the early stages. Through a combined effort, Haaland scored in the 19th minute. After Mbappé’s equalizer in the 60th minute, Haaland restored City’s lead with an 80th-minute penalty.

Meanwhile, in another match, French giants PSG defeated the relatively weaker team Brest 3-0, with Ousmane Dembélé scoring twice. Brest had surprised many by reaching the playoff stage, but beating a team like PSG to qualify for the round of 16 seemed like an “impossible mission” for them.

Last season’s Champions League runners-up, Borussia Dortmund, also won, defeating Sporting Lisbon 3-0. In another match, Italian club Juventus secured a 2-1 victory over Dutch club PSV Eindhoven.