TAKE A BERNABOW FOR THAT ONE PEP
City make a statemate as they roar to Madrid win
REAL MADRID..1 MAN CITY..2
MANCHESTER CITY took control of their Champions League tie with a stunning performance to finally sink Real Madrid.
Pep Guardiola’s side came from behind, with late secondhalf goals from Gabriel Jesus and Kevin De Bruyne earning City a famous victory at the Bernabeu.
It was their first win over Real in six attempts and all the sweeter given UEFA’s decision to ban them from next season from the Champions League for two years for flouting Financial Fair Play rules.
Real skipper Sergio Ramos was sent off in the 86th minute for a cynical trip on Jesus and will miss the second leg at the Etihad on March 17 – a huge boost for City.
De Bruyne said: “It’s a very good start. We struggled in the first 15 minutes but you have to go through the storm. It was an even first half. We started the second really well.
“Their goal came at a bad moment for us – we were dominating. Our response was brilliant. It was a beautiful goal from Gabriel.
“We’re only halfway there. We have an important game at home in three weeks.
“Now we have to recover for
Sunday’s final [in the Carabao Cup against Aston Villa].”
Guardiola raised eyebrows with his team selection, leaving Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling and Fernandinho out of his starting line-up.
But the gamble paid off, with City limiting Real in a cagey first half before Isco broke the deadlock with the opening goal on the hour after poor defending from the Blues.
City got back into the tie in the 78th minute, Jesus levelling with a header.
That was a precious away goal and Sterling, who had come on moments earlier, made his mark by winning a penalty in the 82nd minute. He was tripped by Daniel Carvajal.
De Bruyne stepped up to take the spot-kick and rolled the ball past Thibaut Courtois and into the net to put City firmly in the driving seat at the halfway stage of the tie.