There is no doubt that Manchester City's 4-3 victory over Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium is one of the most exciting football matches in recent years, and will even become a classic that fans will talk about many years later, just like Real Madrid conquered Old Trafford. Between Europe's most effective emerging aristocracy and the most influential traditional giants, there was a spark that made the media and fans beat the festival. If there's anything that can be called a highlight, the first leg of this Champions League semi-final should never be missed.
This goal feast not only made the fans cheer, but also made the two best teams in the world show the charm of football to the world. The Daily Mail's Reddyman exclaimed after the game that Guardiola's team was almost perfect, and if we could add Haaland, who is more capable of finishing in the penalty area, I am afraid that the Blue Moon Army will become the real hegemon of European football. Similarly, despite losing 3-4 away from home, Ancelotti's Real Madrid also showcased one of the continent's highest levels of football tactical play. Benzema continues to pound on multiple personal records and is getting closer and closer to the Ballon d'Or this season, and Manchester City Brain De Bruyne is undoubtedly one of his main rivals.
The 4-3 score left enough suspense in the second leg, although the previous three teams that scored the Manchester City goal three times in a single game were eventually eliminated, but Real Madrid is Real Madrid after all. The Galactic Fleet back at the Bernabeu Stadium still has plenty of time and opportunity to stage another big comeback in this season's Champions League knockout rounds. And no matter which big club regrets to be out, just in terms of the game itself, it is a victory for football.
It was a post-Mero football feast that showcased the highest level of European football, with classic blitzkriegs, brilliant goals from Brazilian players with exquisite individual skills, and a steady output from peak centre-forward Benzema. Guardiola's side have shown a superb prowess to dominate the Premier League, especially on the offensive end, with four goals from four different assisters, completed by four different players, and the diversity of attacking football is staggering. The British media exclaimed: This night's Etihad Stadium is enough to make the audience unforgettable.
Although the score gap was only 1 goal, Manchester City had the upper hand in the content of the game. Ancelotti tried to weaken City's attacking power by giving up control of the midfield, but to no avail. The slow-moving Real Madrid trailed by two goals in just 11 minutes of the opening, and the expensive star centre-back Alaba did not find the peak feeling, and was replaced by Nacho at half-time. Although City also lost a centre-back before half-time, it did not affect the team's reliance on two flanks and de Bruyne's combined attack.
The Belgian midfielder played almost perfectly, with the opening 93 seconds scoring a new record for Manchester City's fastest goal in the Champions League, and assisting Jesus in the 11th minute gave the Home Team a two-goal lead. In the Daily Mail's rating, De Bruyne scored the highest 9 points, and he is the soul of Manchester City on the offensive end, not only controlling the rhythm of the attack, but also a weapon for attacking the city. Mahrez and B. Silva, who led both wings at the same time, played a quality side attack, which also scored City's fourth goal. Jesus' form is also on the rise, and of course the secret weapon Foden, whose excellent control of the ball on the left and equally excellent headers ensure a lead, rather than missing opportunities like Mahrez, which drives Guardiola crazy.
Manchester City's attacks continue to exhaust Real Madrid's midfield, alaba and Militan's loopholes prove the urgency of the Bernabeu's introduction of Rudiger, and Courtois also has to thank The Manchester City goalscorer for his "mercy at his feet". Compared to Rodri, who played at a high level, Real Madrid's champions Iron Triangle were somewhat silent at the Etihad Stadium, and Zinchenko's play contained Rodrigo. Fortunately, Ancelotti also has Vinicius, who can ride a single horse, and the most trusted "Benze T-Rex" this season.
In the first 30 minutes of the game, Manchester City's performance made Real Madrid look like a team of no dimension at all, but it was Benzema who saved Ancelotti in time and did not let Real Madrid enter the intermission with huge psychological pressure of 0-2. The passing speed of the Manchester City players throughout the game was too fast for Real Madrid, and Real Madrid, who was significantly older in average age, felt a comprehensive crush in terms of tactics, speed and precision strikes. Shearer even threatened that if not too many opportunities were wasted, Manchester City could have swept the old nobles of the European continent by 8 goals.
But the experience of Ancelotti and the Real Madrid veterans stopped the galaxy fleet from sliding. Benzema is still the nemesis of the Premier League team, scoring four consecutive goals in the knockout rounds, a total of nine, only 1 goal less than Ronaldo's record; the two Premier League teams scored 5 goals in the knockout rounds, setting a new single season Champions League away goal record against the same league team.
The second goal of this campaign also increased Benzema's goals this season to 41, becoming the first Real Madrid player to score 40+ goals in a single season after Cristiano Ronaldo. In the Champions League top scorer list, Levan scored 1 goal and 14 goals to dominate the first place. The classic Pananka penalty in the final stages of the second half was also an indispensable image of this game that deserves to be remembered. If city can be reversed in the second leg to advance to the Champions League final, Benzema will undoubtedly be one step closer to the first Ballon d'Or trophy. For De Bruyne, the "innate disadvantage" compared to the strikers makes him have to hold two championship trophies to have more hope of winning.
In the first leg at the Etihad Stadium, although at the Etihad Stadium, Ancelotti's team was full of resilience, and the presence of Benzema and Vinicius allowed the more willful Real Madrid to score satisfactorily in limited attacking opportunities. As Shearer said, the openness and spectacle of the match can definitely be ranked at the top of the Champions League in recent years, and each goal has brought changes to the trend of the game and the atmosphere of the scene.
Although the three goals did not help the Galaxy to guarantee a draw away from home, the narrow gap of one goal also made Real Madrid confident of returning to the Bernabeu to stage a reversal - Ancelotti regretted, but also Guardiola was happy. If it weren't for the cancellation of the away goal, the corners of the mouth would not have been raised.
The excessive excitement of the first leg satisfied the appetite of the media and fans for the second leg. Ancelotti needs more open and proactive tactics to fight for a reversal. It has beaten Real Madrid 12 times before, and Manchester City has won as many as nine breakouts in the first leg of the last 10 Champions League knockout matches, but Real Madrid have finally reversed 2 of their last 3 Champions League eliminations. No matter who dies, it is a great pleasure for fans to enjoy such a high level of competition.