(Football news) The Citizens enjoyed a perfect start to the game when Bernardo Silva’s free kick had the visitors ahead inside two minutes, however a Ruben Dias own goal and a strike from Rodrygo had Los Blancos ahead just 12 minutes later.

Performing an impressive comeback of their own, Phil Foden and Josko Gvardiol found the net in spectacular fashion after the half-time interval to give Pep Guardiola’s men a temporary advantage.

The 14-time European champions were not forced to settle for a rare defeat at the Bernabeu, though, with Federico Valverde’s volley in the closing moments meaning that the tie is now perfectly poised ahead of the second leg in Manchester.

Following the nine-day break afforded to Carlo Ancelotti’s side after their La Liga success over Athletic Bilbao on March 31, Real Madrid made a big call in terms of personnel at centre-back, with natural midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni partnering Antonio Rudiger at the heart of the backline.

There was a surprise omission from Man City’s starting XI for the first-leg clash at the Bernabeu, with Kevin De Bruyne taking up a spot on the Citizens’ bench after reporting ill leading up to kickoff in Madrid, meaning that Mateo Kovacic was utilised in the middle alongside Foden, Rodri and John Stones.

Fouling Jack Grealish in the opening moments of the contest, Frenchman Tchouameni received a yellow card which will result in his suspension for the second leg in Manchester next week, however the ramifications of that challenge were immediate as it allowed the visitors with an opportunity to hit the front in the tie.

After preparing for an effort on goal from around 25 yards out, Silva expertly curled his strike around the Real wall, and although Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin managed to get his hand on the attempt, the ball bounced off the Ukrainian’s gloves and into the top corner.

Desperate to avoid exiting the Champions League to Man City in back-to-back campaigns, Ancelotti’s charges came out fighting after conceding an early goal, and it was not long until the 14-time European champions had found the net themselves in a pulsating start to the contest.

Eduardo Camavinga picked up the ball on the right flank and drove boldly inside past the attentions of Grealish, with the 21-year-old unleashing an effort which deflected off the knee of Dias, and the Portuguese’s unwanted contribution saw the ball dribble into the net, consigning Stefan Ortega to a watching brief.

Although the last-minute absence of De Bruyne was dominating the pre-game chat, the Citizens were also missing the presence – and raw pace – of Kyle Walker on the right of their backline, and Guardiola’s side were soon exposed on that side of the field as Madrid took control of the tie.

Collecting the ball in the midfield, Vinicius Jr unleashed Rodrygo through on goal in the Man City half, and although the Brazilian slowed down, allowing Manuel Akanji to get back on the cover, the 23-year-old was still able to produce an effort which bounded past Ortega into the net.

Seeking to further extend their advantage at the start of the second period, Vinicius Jr had a glorious opportunity to net his side’s third of the evening after being played through on the left by partner-in-crime Rodrygo, however the attacker was unable to keep his strike below the Man City bar.

Following a quiet first half from the England international, Foden burst onto the Bernabeu stage to make it 2-2 just after 65 minutes, with the Citizens’ academy graduate netting his fifth goal of the Champions League campaign in extraordinary style.

The move started when Silva found Stones infield and the defender helped the ball into the path of Foden on the edge of the Real box, and the 23-year-old did the rest, with his first touch setting himself up excellently to whip a left-footed strike into the top-left corner, leaving Lunin helpless in goal.

Although having the tie on level terms ahead of next week’s deciding leg would have been satisfactory, Guardiola’s troops continued to press for more goals and found their third of the night from an unexpected source in the form of a first-time City goalscorer.

After Grealish faced up Madrid’s Dani Carvajal on the left and passed infield to Gvardiol, the Croatian was afforded a gallop further into Real territory by the sluggish defending of Toni Kroos, who watched on as the Man City centre-back fizzed his effort from outside the box into the far corner.

Adopting the never-say-die attitude which has been the backbone of many of their Champions League successes over the decades, Los Blancos were able to level the scores soon after Gvardiol made the net ripple for the visitors, with Vinicius Jr once again being the provider for his thankful teammates.

With Ortega merely a spectator, the hosts once again demonstrated their ability to recover as the Brazilian picked up the ball on the left and floated a cross into the City box, over their backline and right in front of the approaching Valverde. Valverde produced a sublimely-executed volley that arrowed into the bottom-left corner.

Man City will play relegation-threatened Luton Town in their crucial Premier League title defense before next week’s crucial second leg at the Etihad, while Real Madrid will travel to Mallorca in La Liga.

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