Real Madrid eliminates Manchester City and advances to the quarter-finals
The Real Madrid qualified for the quarter-finals of the Champions League after defeating Manchester City for the third consecutive time.
A 2-1 victory at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday sealed a 5-1 aggregate triumph for Real Madrid, who could face Bayern Munich in the next phase.
The City, who needed to overcome a three-goal deficit from Madrid, started well, but the match changed midway through the first half when Bernardo Silva was sent off for handling a shot from Vinícius Júnior. Vinícius, who missed a penalty in the 3-0 victory at the Bernabéu last week, scored from the penalty spot.
Despite Erling Haaland’s equalizer just before halftime, City couldn’t find their way back into the game with ten men. Pep Guardiola’s team had two goals disallowed for offside in the second half and finished the night with 22 shots on goal, but Vinícius scored again in stoppage time to secure Real Madrid’s victory on the night and on aggregate.
Another European disappointment for Guardiola
Manchester City hired Pep Guardiola a decade ago with the clear ambition of becoming a regular Champions League winner, but this decade has brought more European disappointments than successes.
The only City success in the Champions League came in 2023, when they defeated Inter Milan in the Istanbul final. They also reached the 2021 final before losing to Chelsea in Porto.
That is the total of Guardiola’s 10 years in the Champions League with City, and for the second consecutive season, his team is out of the competition before the quarter-final phase. In fact, over those 10 years, City has only reached the semi-finals on three occasions. There is no doubt that Guardiola has not met expectations at this high level.In a way, Guardiola’s history is similar to that of Sir Alex Ferguson during his time at Manchester United. Ferguson’s United dominated English football, winning 13 league titles in 20 years, but only won two Champions League titles in that time before losing two finals, coincidentally against Guardiola’s Barcelona. Guardiola’s City has won six league titles in ten years, but only one Champions League, despite playing in the competition in each of Guardiola’s seasons at the Etihad.
If he leaves his post in the summer, as many now expect, his Champions League record will be the only blemish on his legacy.
Real Madrid should never be ruled out
Before the first leg in Madrid last week, there was a feeling that Real Madrid would be lucky to get through. Coach Álvaro Arbeloa’s press conference was dominated by questions about their “underdog” status, and even the Bernabéu fans seemed relatively pessimistic. The match didn’t sell out, and there wasn’t a big fanfare before kick-off as is usual before important Champions League nights.
But this has been a lesson that Real Madrid should never be ruled out in this competition. There’s just something about them at this stage.Arsenal, Bayern Munich, and Barcelona will be considered the most likely contenders. Real Madrid, however, will rely on their chances after eliminating one of the best teams in the Premier League.
City player Bernardo Silva said on Monday that the best team usually wins in a national league, but the Champions League is different.
Real Madrid finished ninth in the league phase table and had to overcome a tense and close tie against Benfica. However, they are still in the quarter-finals, and from here, anything could happen. With Real Madrid, you never know.
Haaland, out of form despite the goal
The Norwegian seems to be lacking something, whether physically or in confidence. He scored here, but even with the task of finishing point-blank a cross from Jérémy Doku, he didn’t find the net in a particularly convincing way.
With City desperate to score in the second half, Guardiola decided to substitute Haaland for Omar Marmoush with more than 30 minutes left to play. The goal against Real Madrid was only Haaland’s fifth in 2026 and the third from open play. In the first leg in Madrid, he didn’t attempt a single shot and in the 1-1 draw with West Ham on Saturday, he missed two good chances.
There is a theory that Haaland has struggled in the second half of the season due to injuries to City’s two best wingers: Savinho and Doku. Having both back in the squad should help Haaland get the opportunities he needs in the final stretch, but he still seems to lack his usual clinical instinct in front of goal.
Alexander-Arnold’s World Cup spot at risk
Trent Alexander-Arnold has had a difficult first year at Real Madrid after his summer signing from Liverpool, and he also had a difficult night at the Etihad.
The 27-year-old player faced Doku, and City was the clear winner in the individual battle. Alexander-Arnold was overpowered and outrun by the Belgian international, who was one of the few bright spots for City on a night when they crashed out of the Champions League.
Injuries have limited Alexander-Arnold to only 20 appearances with the first team since the start of the season, not counting last summer’s FIFA Club World Cup, and he looked rusty in this match.
Due to his unconvincing spell at Real, Alexander-Arnold’s place in the English national team for the World Cup is in doubt. Reece James’ hamstring injury could mean he is called up to Thomas Tuchel’s squad when he names his group on Friday for the upcoming friendlies against Uruguay and Japan. But with this form, he might not even earn a place in that squad.
Their World Cup hopes are at stake.
Khusanov, the bright spot for City
Abdukodir Khusanov was outstanding for City against Real, giving Vinícius one of his most difficult matches of the season at the Etihad.
The 22-year-old player seemed completely out of place when he arrived from Lens in January 2025 and then suffered a nightmare debut against Chelsea. But he has worked on his game and has significantly improved his physique to become possibly City’s best defender.
The international Uzbek demonstrated incredible speed and strength against Real. At one point, he recovered three meters on Brahim Díaz to dispossess the former City youth player after he seemed to have been freed by Vinícius.
Khusanov has had to fight for his place, but he is showing real consistency. On a bad night for City, he was a real positive.
