City silence Bernabeu with 2-1 win
Kevin De Bruyne orchestrated a dramatic Manchester City comeback on Wednesday as they stunned Real Madrid 2-1 at the Bernabeu to put one foot in the Champions League quarterfinals.
Madrid looked on course after Isco's smart finish early in the second half, but De Bruyne teed up Gabriel Jesus in the 78th minute and then tucked away a penalty five minutes later.
A pulsating finish saw Sergio Ramos sent off for preventing Jesus from going clear and Madrid's captain will now be banned for the second leg at the Etihad Stadium on March 17.
City's two away goals will make them favourites to go through, even if manager Pep Guardiola was quick to discourage complacency.
"It's still not over," he said. "If there is one team that can overcome this it is Real Madrid with their experience and their history."
"We know the situation," said Real manager Zinedine Zidane. "We have to go there and win."
Madrid have now won one of their last five, with the Clasico in La Liga to come on Sunday.
"We are on a bad run but we have to get ourselves out of it," said Zidane. "Sunday is a chance to change."
Guardiola sprung a surprise by picking De Bruyne up front and leaving Raheem Sterling, Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho all on the bench.
"We played without a proper striker because of the way they defend," said Guardiola. "They are so aggressive down the middle and when that happens you have to make the pitch wide."
Guardiola insisted on Tuesday that Manchester City's two-year Champions League ban, pending appeal, imposed by UEFA for breaching financial fair play rules would not act as a spur for his players.
But it was on the minds of travelling fans, who were singing against European football's governing body from almost the first minute.
Comments