Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Breathless game sees City achieve narrow win
MANCHESTER City claimed a slender advantage in their Champions League semifinal against Real Madrid after a dramatic 4-3 victory at the Etihad Stadium.
The Premier League leaders raced into a 2-0 lead in a pulsating firstleg encounter with goals from the irrepressible Kevin De Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus in the first 11 minutes.
Real responded through the Karim Benzema before Phil Foden and Vinicius Junior traded goals early in the second half.
Bernardo Silva gave City a two-goal advantage but Benzema scored a cheeky penalty – his 41st goal of the season in as many appearances – to cut the deficit once again.
Both sides spurned chances in a breathless clash that set the stage for a fascinating second leg next week.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, speaking to BT Sport, said: “It was a fantastic game for both sides. We did many good things. Unfortunately we conceded goals and we could not score more. But two games and we have another one in one week.
“We played a fantastic game against an incredible team. The moments where they rise and come back into the game in the first half I think we gave them as our build-up was so nervous.
“Also they press really good and strong. All around the world and for Manchester City, we are so proud. But it is about reaching the final and sometimes football happens. We go to Madrid to try to win the game.
“All we can do is perform as we perform. The quality of Real Madrid is such they can punish you.
“What we have done with the ball and without the ball, creating chances and chances and chances I can’t ask anything else. I say to the players to rest.
“Leeds now is the most important thing and we go to Madrid to win. Both teams want to attack and have the quality to play. Football is a fantastic spectacle. Congratulations to Carlo and his team as they are so good. At the same time, we saw ourselves that we can be there.”
City midfielder Foden admitted it was always going to be a tough ask to hold on to an advantage against Real Madrid.
“We were up against a team which has won the Champions League many times and knew that if we gave the ball away in dangerous areas, they were going to punish us,” Foden told BT Sport. “That is something we need to work on in the second leg and the game is still on.”
Fellow goalscorer Silva said: “For the first 20 minutes, we were so good the way we pressed and controlled the game to create chances.
“Over the 90 minutes it felt like we could have won with a better score, but unfortunately we were not able to take advantage of the two-goal differences we had.
“But that is the Champions League, we played against one of the best teams in the world and it is still a good score for us.”