Man City 2-3 Real Madrid: Match report & talking points from stunning Champions League finish | OneFootball

Real Madrid will take a 3-2 lead into the second leg of their Champions League play-off tie with Manchester City following some stunning late drama at the Etihad.

The hosts were impressive in the first half and looked like they would boast a 2-1 lead ahead of next week's return fixture at the Bernabeu, but Pep Guardiola's side conspired to collapse late on again as they allowed Madrid to steal victory.

Brahim Diaz and Jude Bellingham were the late goalscorers for the visitors, who are now big favourites to advance into the round of 16.

How the game unfolded

"It's a nightmare preparing for games against him because he always has ideas that make you think," Carlo Ancelotti noted pre-match, speaking of Guardiola. The Man City boss certainly raised eyebrows with his team selection on Tuesday night, picking five centre-halves, as he opted for John Stones to reprise his role at the base of midfield over Mateo Kovacic and Ilkay Gundogan.

The Etihad was rather morbid two weeks ago for a must-win encounter against Club Brugge, but there was doubtlessly a grander sense of occasion here with the holders in town. An electric atmosphere was aided by a frantic opening to the contest, as City pressed with vigour and Madrid boasted a threat every time they gathered forward momentum.

The hosts ought to have been behind early on with Madrid playing through City to tee up Kylian Mbappe's first shot on target of the night, before Ferland Mendy had a goal-bound effort expertly blocked by Nathan Ake.

Madrid's lack of punch in front of goal quickly proved costly as City went ahead following a sparkling sequence of their own. The culmination was Erling Haaland's first-ever goal against the perennial European champions. Guardiola's side steadied thereafter and asserted impressive control on the contest thanks to their overload in central areas and more measured approach without the ball which limited Madrid's moments in open space.

Substitute Phil Foden, who entered the fray for Jack Grealish, tested Thibaut Courtois with a fierce effort from range and Manuel Akanji flicked the crossbar with a header from a set piece. City, however, didn't add to their lead, and Madrid came on strong to conclude a superb first half with the majestic front four starting to have their say.

Mbappe ought to have equalised when he was left all alone on the left side of City's box, but his first-time effort was wild.

The hosts were excellent for a large chunk of the opening period, but there was a sense of inevitability regarding Madrid's equaliser at the start of the second half. Jude Bellingham skewed a header wide and Mbappe forced another save out of Ederson before the Frenchman eventually restored parity with a sliced volley which was reluctant to kiss the back of City's net.

It looked like City were fading, but Madrid couldn't seize the momentum in the aftermath of the leveller. The sting dissipated out of the contest and the hosts took advantage when Dani Ceballos crashed into Foden, forcing Clement Turpin to point to the spot. Haaland netted his second, and that should've been that...

Alas, City contrived to surrender their advantage with an inexplicable finale. A poor Ederson clearance kick-started the sequence which led to Brahim Diaz's leveller before Vinicius Junior broke in behind, lobbed a wayward effort beyond the onrushing City goalkeeper which allowed Bellingham to poke home a stoppage-time winner.

Check out Man City 2-3 Real Madrid player ratings here.

Pep's bold selection call

Pep's City looked more like themselves / James Gill - Danehouse/GettyImages

Manchester City at their treble-winning best had at least four centre-backs in the team. Guardiola picked five on Wednesday night, and the Spaniard's ploy paid dividends in the first half.

There was a vintage tinge to City's set-up, with Guardiola opting for a 2-3-5 shape on the ball which focussed on the two full-backs supplying support for John Stones in midfield once possession changed hands. The positioning of Manuel Akanji and Josko Gvardiol also helped the hosts confuse a typically disjointed Madrid press, allowing Stones to dictate proceedings from the middle of the park.

City had 'free eights' in the half-spaces, with Kevin De Bruyne dragging Madrid's midfielders away from the centre and making lung-busting runs in behind. It was vintage stuff, and the Belgian's work-rate out of possession shouldn't have gone unnoticed. The hosts didn't press man-to-man, but De Bruyne played a major role in ushering Madrid into sky-blue corners.

Their efforts in shunning a fearsome quartet seemed to take its toll, however, and Madrid were eventually able to shift the momentum. Dani Ceballos started dropping into Toni Kroos territory which improved Madrid's build-up and ensured they accessed their superstars far more frequently in the second half. Did Pep perhaps surrender too much control without the ball?

Vinicius Junior in Ballon d'Or territory

Man City fans weren't particularly fond of the Brazilian on Tuesday night / Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/GettyImages

If you remember, Vinicius Junior and Madrid made a bit of a fuss over Manchester City's Rodri claiming his first Ballon d'Or over the Brazilian, and the Etihad faithful were keen on reminding the winger of the Spaniard's individual glory.

'STOP CRYING YOUR HEART OUT,' read one sizeable banner with an image of Rodri kissing the golden ball, doubtlessly taunting the Madrid superstar who must've been desperate to give it to the City fans through the medium of a masterclass.

And while there was no Vini Jr spectacle, the Brazilian ultimately had the last laugh. The early jeers which greeted him faded once the City faithful remembered how good at the sport he was, and although the winger failed to take over the contest, he played a decisive role in Madrid winning the first leg.

It was his shot which was parried into Brahim Diaz's path for the equaliser, and he's going to claim an assist for what was a poor lobbed effort past Ederson which allowed Bellingham to pounce.

Madrid seize on another City collapse

Ederson had a big role to play in City's collapse / Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/GettyImages

There was some compromise on Guardiola's principles, but the decision was made necessary by City's recent horrors at defending the counter-attack. Had City pressed man-to-man, Madrid may have been stifled in the build-up, but the hosts would've been at the mercy of a destructive front four which had enough joy in the face of a more measured Cityzens approach.

The hosts worked so hard to take a first-half lead and stifle Madrid's momentum after the equaliser, eventually earning the moment which should've led to them taking a 2-1 lead into the second leg.

Yet again, though, City threw away a position of strength in the Champions League. We've seen them surrender an early lead at Sporting CP in style, a 3-0 advantage to Feyenoord in 15 minutes, and a 2-0 lead at PSG in the blink of an eye. They were 2-1 up on Tuesday night with less than five to play and lost 3-2.

This is the fifth time City have lost a game which they've led this season - they only gave up five winning positions across the previous four seasons.