Manchester City dealt another blow to under-pressure Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso by overturning a one-goal deficit to claim a 2-1 victory at the Santiago Bernabéu, marking only their second-ever win at the iconic stadium in the UEFA Champions League (UCL).

Key Stats

• Manchester City recorded their first Champions League win over Real Madrid since May 17, 2023, ending a four-game winless streak.
• This was only the second time in Real Madrid’s history that they scored first but were trailing at halftime in a European Cup/Champions League match, the last occurring in March 1991 against Spartak Moscow.
• Real Madrid lost after scoring the opening goal in the UCL for the first time since February 26, 2020, when they faced Manchester City, ending a 37-game unbeaten run in such scenarios.

Manchester City’s Nico O’Reilly starred with a player-of-the-match performance. He scored one goal and completed 91% of his passes (32/25), showcasing his influence on the game.

Match Report
The clash, the highlight of UCL matchday six, delivered drama from the opening minutes. Vinicius Junior went down in the area under a challenge from Matheus Nunes, with referee Clément Turpin initially pointing to the penalty spot. However, VAR ruled the challenge occurred outside the box. Federico Valverde’s free-kick narrowly missed, and Vinicius’s subsequent effort went just over the bar as Madrid sought to exploit a sluggish City start.

Real Madrid eventually broke through with a swift counterattack. Rodrygo, positioned in the inside-right channel, finished with precision to end a 32-game goal drought.

City responded immediately. Josko Gvardiol got the first touch on a Rayan Cherki corner, allowing Nico O’Reilly to score from close range. Moments later, Antonio Rudiger’s foul on Erling Haaland in the area, initially missed, was confirmed as a penalty via pitchside monitor. Haaland converted confidently to put City ahead.

After the restart, Jude Bellingham missed a golden chance to level for Madrid, dinking over the crossbar. Alonso’s substitutions failed to shift momentum, with Vinicius missing two further opportunities—first a free header and then a volley over the bar. Endrick came closest to rescuing his side, seeing a header crash off the crossbar.

Closing Stages
City weathered sustained pressure in the closing minutes, defending resolutely to secure a crucial victory in their bid for automatic qualification to the last 16.

The final whistle was met with jeers from the home crowd, leaving Alonso under increased scrutiny following consecutive home defeats.