Manchester City returned to the Santiago Bernabéu and claimed a thrilling 2–1 victory over Real Madrid, overturning an early lead by the hosts. This marks their first win in Madrid since 2020, when Zinedine Zidane was in charge and Real Madrid were eliminated from the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Since then, every encounter between the two sides has been fiercely contested. The teams have faced each other 15 times in the Champions League, with six wins for Real Madrid, five for Manchester City, and four draws.
This particular game was more about confidence than qualification. Under the new format, both clubs were already set to progress, but a win would provide a crucial boost ahead of the remaining fixtures. Real Madrid arrived on the back of a league defeat to Celta de Vigo and had lost the top spot in LaLiga to Barcelona, sitting seven points behind. Manchester City, meanwhile, had shown solid form in recent weeks, delivering consistent results.
From the opening whistle, the match was intense. The referee consulted VAR for a potential penalty for Real Madrid, but the decision confirmed the foul was just outside the box. Minutes later, Rodrygo broke the deadlock fifteen minutes before halftime, converting a precise cross from Jude Bellingham for his first goal since March.
The game turned dramatically shortly after. From a corner delivered by Rayan Cherki, Joško Gvardiol’s shot was parried by Courtois but left the ball loose, allowing Nico O’Reilly to tap in the equaliser. Moments later, City’s Erling Haaland was fouled in the penalty area by Rüdiger, resulting in a VAR-awarded penalty, which Haaland calmly converted to put Manchester City ahead.
The second half saw Real Madrid pushing for an equaliser, particularly after Endrick came on, but City’s defence held firm. Despite several chances, the hosts lacked the clinical edge needed to level the score.
City dominated possession (62%) and had more shots on target (8–5), while Real Madrid relied on counter-attacks. Key contributions came from Rodrygo, Haaland, Bellingham, and O’Reilly, while Courtois made several important saves to keep Madrid in the game.
In the post-match press conference, Pep Guardiola expressed partial satisfaction with his team’s performance despite the victory, while Xabi Alonso praised the technical display but lamented the result.
With this win, Manchester City are in the Top 4 of the Champions League group with 13 points, while Real Madrid have fallen to seventh with 12. The next two matchdays will be decisive: Real Madrid face Monaco and Benfica, while Manchester City will meet Bodo/Glimt and Galatasaray.
