Tuesday September 18, 2012 Group Stage: Group D Finished Bernabéu

Real Madrid 3 - 2 Manchester City

  • Marcelo 75’
  • Benzema 87’
  • Cristiano Ronaldo 90’
  • Dzeko 68’
  • Kolarov 85’

238 comments | Write your comment

  1. Ronaldo breaks Man City hearts in Madrid

    Ronaldo breaks Man City hearts in Madrid

    Manchester City were cruelly denied a famous result as they lost 3-2 at Real Madrid having led twice in their opening Champions League game. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Real Madrid
    • Manchester City
    • - Let me know your thoughts on an incredible evening in the Spanish capital via Twitter @tony_mabert. Get in touch!
    • 90+3' The final whistle blows to end a remarkable second half in which City led twice but end up losing 3-2! Such incredible drama, and this is only the first night of this season's Champions League!
    • 90+1' Hart has been excellent this evening, but he will feel he could have got a stronger hand to Ronaldo's shot there.
    • 90' GOAL!! RONALDO SCORES WHAT IS SURELY THE WINNER FOR REAL!! Just moments after Hart spreads himself brilliantly to block Ozil, the world's most expensive player cuts inside Zabaleta from the left and hits a viciously dipping low strike that bamboozles the keeper! What drama!
    • 88' Real come again now. They smell blood. Benzema squares for Ronaldo and Hart makes the save from 20 yards!
    • 87' GOAL!! REAL LEVEL AGAIN THROUGH BENZEMA!! The France striker turns on the edge of the box and drills a clinical low finish right into the bottom corner!
    • 86' Kolarov scored City's first Champions League goal against Napoli last season, and he has netted another big one here this evening. Can City hang on for five minutes?
    • 85' GOAL!! Kolarov whips the left-footed delivery into the box and it deceives everyone - including Iker Casillas - and the ball goes inside the far post! Amazing stuff!
    • 84' A City corner is cleared but Zabaleta is clipped by Benzema and City have a free-kick on the right.
    • 82' Ozil and Ronaldo both heavily involved befor eModric has an effort from range that, given some of his antics this evening, is an easy stop for Hart.
    • 80' Hart palms Benzema's effort from a wide angle away and then Alonso hits a solid strike right at him! Is there a winner in this game for someone?
    • 79' Ozil stoops to meet di Maria's cross but Nastasic does enough at the near post to put it behind for a corner.
    • 76' GOAL!! Marcelo levels for Real Madrid! After two solid efforts with his favoured left foot fly wide, the Brazilian hits the top corner with a right-footed strike that appeared to take a slight deflection on its way past Hart!
    • 75' Toure is released with a crossfield ball and he fires into the side-netting! City never looked like scoring this much before they broke the deadlock.
    • 74' City substitution: Pablo Zabaleta replaces Maicon.
    • 73' Real substitutions: Luka Modric and Karim Benzema replace Khedira and Higuain.
    • 72' This time it's Tevez rampaging through the middle and he slips it wide left to Kolarov. The substitute hits a thundering low drive on goal that Casillas tips away, fortunately for him not into the path of Tevez.
    • 71' A lethally whipped free-kick from Alonso is glanced over by Kolarov's header. From the subsequent corner, Varane heads over.
    • 70' Ronaldo goes to motor past Kompany down the left, but the City captain cynically body-checks him. Kompany will take that booking, you feel.
    • 69' GOAL!! It's another City break orchestrated by a charging Toure run down the middle, but this time it yields a goal! The Ivorian sneaks a pass through to Dzeko, who makes no mistake with a low finish past Casillas!
    • 67' Things are more even in this game now compared to how they were before. Real have had 55% of the possession and the shot count is not 21-4 in the home side's favour.
    • 66' It's another left-footed canon from Marcelo, but again it's off target much to the relief of Hart!
    • 65' Real substitution: Mesut Ozil replaces Essien.
    • 64' Ronaldo motors down the left but he is dispossessed by Nastasic, who has had a sporadically impressive City debut thus far.
    • 62' City substitution: Edin Dzeko replaces Silva, who leaves the pitch to warm applause from all corners of the ground. Is there anyone out there who doesn't love the little magician?
    • 60' Marcelo lines up a strike from range and hits a real arrow of a strike just the wrong side of the far post! Not sure if Hart would have got there had it been on target.
    • 59' Another Real corner, and again they are unable to make the most of it even though City were caught out by the short ball.
    • 57' Clichy clears a dangerous low ball across the City six-yard box and the visitors escape again! Surely a goal for Real is not too far away if this continues for much longer.
    • 56' Nastasic underhits a back-pass and Higuain goes sprinting after it! Hart hares out of his goal and just about wins the race to clear the danger!
    • 55' City are unable to make anything of the set piece.
    • 54' Kolarov finds Silva who plays the ball square to Toure. The big Ivorian's shot is deflected by Xabi Alonso's tackle and City have their first corner.
    • 52' Toure with a poor touch for the second time in quick succession and Javi Garcia has to lunge in on the loose ball. He fouls Khedira in the process and gets the game's first booking. Garcia is facing his boyhood club on only his second appearance for City.
    • 50' Maicon is penalised for fouling his Brazil international colleague Marcelo deep in the Real half.
    • 49' City attempt another counter-attack, this time with Kolarov thundering down the left. The Serbian takes on touch too many as he enters the Real box and the ball runs out for a goal kick.
    • 48' Real take their third corner of the match, but it's the one attacing scenario which they have not been able to produce a chance from so far.
    • 47' We immediately settle back into the same pattern as the first half as Real set up camp on the edge of the City box. Higuain pings the ball across to Di Maria whose shot is delfected wide by Barry for a corner!
    • 46' The second half is underway!
    • HT So, on Twitter we have @JamesRamosJames thinking the Real will win 2-0, while @fogtalk is also scpetical about how much longer City can hang on. we're about to find out as the teams come out for the second half.
    • 45+1' The whistle blows for half-time, and City are halfway to a valuable point. Joe Hart his been the visitor's best player, though Higuain will wonder how he missed that close-range header. Share your half-time thoughts with me via Twitter @tony_mabert. How will this match finish?
    • 45' Just the one minute of extra time due to be played.
    • 44' Kolarov plays Clichy into trouble and Real pounce. The combination between Di Maria and Higuain is good but City recover and Hart boots it clear.
    • 42' Di Maria has a pop at goal himself. It's a swinging low effort for the far post that goes just wide. Hart seemed to have it covered.
    • 39' Di Maria curls in a fantastic cross that leaves Kompany and Hart looking at each other. Higuain sneaks around behind Komapny and guides his volley over!
    • 38' Toure leads a break through the centre of the pitch with a typically rampaging run. He has support on either side too. He rolls it right to Silva but the pass is just behind the Spaniard, who has to control before shooting and the effort is blocked.
    • 37' Real resume their dominance. Ronaldo tees up Essien, whose effort is blocked two yards in front of him.
    • 36' Confirmation of Kolarov replacing the injured Nasri. Silva will switch the the right.
    • 35' Nasri limps down the tunnel nursing what seems to be a hamstring problem. Think I saw him touch the ball once. Aleksandar Kolarov will replace the Frenchman next time the ball goes out of play.
    • 34' Some activity on the City bench. It looks as though we're in for an early change.
    • 33' City are still to muster a shot on goal of any kind. Real have had 66% of the possession up until now.
    • 32' Marcelo drives in a low, speculative shot that Hart is down to and holds comfortably.
    • 31' Nastasic miscontrols a loose ball on the edge of the box. Kompany is there to cover and muscles Khedira away before clearing. City launch the counter but Samir Nasri is offside as the ball is played up to him.
    • 30' Real Madrid are playing in the Champions League for the 16th consecutive season. Only Manchester United can boast a longer current run.
    • 29' Essien has an ambitious shot from range. We've seen him bury those before, but on this occasion the effort is harmless and into the crowd.
    • 27' If you need to check up on scores elsewhere this evening, you can do so with our multiplex service. Click here for Champions League scores and scorers
    • 26' Di Maria takes a long diagonal pass on his chest but Nastasic does well to nick it off him, even if he ends up conceding a throw to the Argentina forward.
    • 25' Pressure is growing on City now. The ball is pinged in from either flank before Marcelo's low cross is cleared by Kompany.
    • 24' We've past the midway point of the first half and so far Real have had eight shots, five of them on target. City are yet to even look like testing Iker Casillas.
    • 23' Plenty of white shirts in the City box waiting for this free-kick, but Hart claims the set piece with authority.
    • 22' Twice Real players go down on the edge of the City box and twice the officials let play continue. The home crowd give an ironic cheer as Ronaldo finally wins a free-kick off Maicon on the right.
    • 21' Higuain beats the offside trap and latches onto a ball over the top. Hart makes himself big and his block sends Higuain wide! The ball is played in again and Sami Khedira can only guide the ball over the bar!
    • 19' A cross comes into the Real box from the right that's bound for Tevez, but again young Varane makes sure he gets there first to clear.
    • 18' Alvaro Arbeloa sent down the right flank by Di Maria. The former Liverpool full-back turns inside Gale CLichy and fires a left-footed effort on goal that Hart saves easily.
    • 16' Ronaldo is penalised for an aerial foul on Matija Nastasic. The Serbian is exactly four weeks older than his fellow 19-year-old defender on the opposition, Varane.
    • 15' Replays of that second Ronaldo effort show that Higuain got his head to it just in front of Hart's dive! He really could have scored there. A real let-off for City, even more so than it first seemed.
    • 14' First really promising bit of play from City as Yaya Toure almost picks out Silva with a through ball, but Raphael Varane slides in to intercept.
    • 13' This is a very influential spell from Di Maria as Real are really beginning to turn the screw on their visitors.
    • 12' Di Maria pings the ball wide to Ronaldo, who cuts onto his right and fires a vicious strike in from a wide angle that Hart again has to save!
    • 10' It was Gonzalo Higuain's weighted through ball that sent Ronaldo away. It's all too easy to forget how good the Argentina striker when he's stood next to Ronaldo, but he is a major threat on his own.
    • 9' Angel di Maria delivers the corner but Real can't capitalise on the pressure.
    • 8' Ronaldo gets his first chance to run at the City back line. He turns inside Vincent Kompany and makes the City captain look ordinary before unleashing a right-footed strike that Hart tips around the far post!
    • 7' A clever little flick from Silva sends Carlos Tevez scampering away down the left channel, but Pepe is across to get to the ball first and draw the foul. Tevez has a shift in front of him tonight, even by his indefatigable standards.
    • 6' The Bernabeu is one of those 'super grounds' which can often be rather subdued, even for decent games. The place is buoyant tonight.
    • 5' Virtually all the play in the first five minutes has been in the City half. The visitors are not letting any of Real's attackers find any space yet, though.
    • 4' Plenty of Spanish talent int he Real team this evening, but City have a pretty special Spaniard of their own. Playmaker David Silva signed a new five-year contract yesterday.
    • 3' Real Madrid have only failed to score once in their last 25 Champions League games, against Barcelona in the 2010/11 semi-finals.
    • 2' Cristiano Ronaldo exchanges passes with Michael Essien before firing in a long-range strike which doesn't trouble Joe Hart.
    • 1' Real kick off and we're underway at the Bernabeu!
    • 19:42 The two teams are walking out on to the pitch. Seeing Michael Essien in a Real Madrid shirt will take some getting used to and, as Richard Murray (Thetenner10) points out on Twitter, the Ghanaian's role in behind striker Gonzalo Higuain will be intriguing to see. As for City, it will just be a novelty to see Tevez on the pitch after the last time he was in the squad for a Champions League game!
    • 19:40 As for City, they are unbeaten from their four league games so far, but have only own two. Manager Roberto Mancini appreciates what a big occasion this is: "It will be a great match and both teams have fantastic players. With our mentality it will be impossible to defend for the whole match. We need to attack as well and play good football. We know the group is difficult and we want to start well."
    • 19:35 There was nothing that even Mourinho could do earlier this afternoon though when Real's team bus got a parking ticket while parked outside their hotel. Whether the parking attendant involved was a mere jobsworth or an Atletico fan, it was amusing. Watch the video via Yahoo!'s Dirty Tackle blog
    • 19:30 Real boss Jose Mourinho is typically forthright in his reaction to his team's poor form: "Football is about today and tomorrow, not yesterday. Yesterday is history. I haven't been able to keep my players motivated and concentrated at the top level and that is my fault. To play against City motivates me as much as playing against Getafe. To win the Champions League motivates me like any other match."
    • 19:30 Real Madrid may be reigning Spanish champions, and they recently claimed the SPanish Super Cup over arch rivals Barcelona, but things have not been going well for them in the league this season. They have lost two and won just one of their opening four games while Barca have claimed 12 points out of 12 to date. Is eight points already too much of a gap for Real to claw back? La Liga table
    • 19:25 This will be the first competitive meeting between these two sides. If Real Madrid win it will be their 100th victory in the Champions League, and they will be the first club to reach that mark. City’s seven competitive games against Spanish sides have produced 26 goals. They beat Villarreal home and away in the group stages last season.
    • 19:20 Our Spanish football columnist Andy Mitten is at the Bernabeu this evening: "Had you said to me growing up in Manchester that one day I'd be travelling to watch Manchester City - as English champions - play Real Madrid, I wouldn't have believed it. To City fans - and every football fan - watching your team play in the magnificent Bernabeu, with its six levels of seating towering steeply into the sky, is a life affirming moment." Read Andy's preview here
    • 19:15 Well, this is all very exciting, isn't it? The return of the Champions League proper is usually enough to get the blood pumping, but to have a humdinger of a fixture on the first evening is something else. After crashing out at the group stage last season, can City make a better fist of it on their second appearance in the competition, or wil nine-times Real give them a lesson? Share your pre-match thoughts with me on Twitter @tony_mabert. Get in touch!
    • 19:10 Some big team news for Premier League champions Manchester City. Young Serbian defender Matija Nastisic makes his debut following his summer move from Fiorentina. He replaces Joleon Lescott. Striker Sergio Aguero is deemed only fit enough for the bench, so Carlos Tevez is the lone striker. Gareth Barry returns to the midfield after recovering from an abdominal problem.
    • 19:05 The Spanish champions make two changes from the side which lost at Sevilla at the weekend. Michael Essien plays the first game of his loan spell from Chelsea in place of Mesut Ozil and young French defender Raphael Varane replaces Sergio Ramos.
    • 19:00 REAL MADRID: Casillas, Varane, Pepe, Marcelo, Arbeloa, Khedira, Alonso, Essien, Di Maria, Ronaldo, Higuain. Subs: Adan, Ramos, Coentrão, Kaka, Ozil, Modric, Benzema /// MANCHESTER CITY: Hart, Maicon, Kompany, Clichy, Nastasic, Nasri, Javi Garcia, Barry, Silva, Yaya Toure, Tevez. Subs: Pantilimon, Zabaleta, Lescott, Kolarov, Rodwell, Dzeko, Aguero.
    • 18:55 Welcome to Eurosport's live coverage one of the opening matches in Champions League Group D between Real Madrid and Manchester City at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu!

  • Summary

    • 90' GOAL!! RONALDO SCORES WHAT IS SURELY THE WINNER FOR REAL!! Just moments after Hart spreads himself brilliantly to block Ozil, the world's most expensive player cuts inside Zabaleta from the left and hits a viciously dipping low strike that bamboozles the keeper! What drama!
    • 88' Real come again now. They smell blood. Benzema squares for Ronaldo and Hart makes the save from 20 yards!
    • 87' GOAL!! REAL LEVEL AGAIN THROUGH BENZEMA!! The France striker turns on the edge of the box and drills a clinical low finish right into the bottom corner!
    • 85' GOAL!! Kolarov whips the left-footed delivery into the box and it deceives everyone - including Iker Casillas - and the ball goes inside the far post! Amazing stuff!
    • 80' Hart palms Benzema's effort from a wide angle away and then Alonso hits a solid strike right at him! Is there a winner in this game for someone?
    • 76' GOAL!! Marcelo levels for Real Madrid! After two solid efforts with his favoured left foot fly wide, the Brazilian hits the top corner with a right-footed strike that appeared to take a slight deflection on its way past Hart!
    • 75' Toure is released with a crossfield ball and he fires into the side-netting! City never looked like scoring this much before they broke the deadlock.
    • 72' This time it's Tevez rampaging through the middle and he slips it wide left to Kolarov. The substitute hits a thundering low drive on goal that Casillas tips away, fortunately for him not into the path of Tevez.
    • 69' GOAL!! It's another City break orchestrated by a charging Toure run down the middle, but this time it yields a goal! The Ivorian sneaks a pass through to Dzeko, who makes no mistake with a low finish past Casillas!
    • 66' It's another left-footed canon from Marcelo, but again it's off target much to the relief of Hart!
    • 60' Marcelo lines up a strike from range and hits a real arrow of a strike just the wrong side of the far post! Not sure if Hart would have got there had it been on target.
    • 47' We immediately settle back into the same pattern as the first half as Real set up camp on the edge of the City box. Higuain pings the ball across to Di Maria whose shot is delfected wide by Barry for a corner!
    • 39' Di Maria curls in a fantastic cross that leaves Kompany and Hart looking at each other. Higuain sneaks around behind Komapny and guides his volley over!
    • 38' Toure leads a break through the centre of the pitch with a typically rampaging run. He has support on either side too. He rolls it right to Silva but the pass is just behind the Spaniard, who has to control before shooting and the effort is blocked.
    • 21' Higuain beats the offside trap and latches onto a ball over the top. Hart makes himself big and his block sends Higuain wide! The ball is played in again and Sami Khedira can only guide the ball over the bar!
    • 12' Di Maria pings the ball wide to Ronaldo, who cuts onto his right and fires a vicious strike in from a wide angle that Hart again has to save!
    • 8' Ronaldo gets his first chance to run at the City back line. He turns inside Vincent Kompany and makes the City captain look ordinary before unleashing a right-footed strike that Hart tips around the far post!
    • 19:00 REAL MADRID: Casillas, Varane, Pepe, Marcelo, Arbeloa, Khedira, Alonso, Essien, Di Maria, Ronaldo, Higuain. Subs: Adan, Ramos, Coentrão, Kaka, Ozil, Modric, Benzema /// MANCHESTER CITY: Hart, Maicon, Kompany, Clichy, Nastasic, Nasri, Javi Garcia, Barry, Silva, Yaya Toure, Tevez. Subs: Pantilimon, Zabaleta, Lescott, Kolarov, Rodwell, Dzeko, Aguero.

Team Line-up & Ratings

  • Line-up

    Live Team Line-Up

  • Rate Players

    Rate Players

    Please to rate the players.

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    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      6.4 5
      Defenders
      5.9 6
      6.3 6
      6.1 6
      Goal 7.2 8
      Midfielders
      Substitution Out72′ 5.8 6
      6.4 6
      6.7 8
      Substitution Out65′ 5.8 6
      Goal 7.2 8
      Strikers
      Substitution Out72′ 5.8 7
      Subs
      Substitution In72′ Goal 7.1 6
      Substitution In72′ 6.8 6
      Substitution In65′ 7 6
    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      7.1 7
      Defenders
      Substitution Out73′ 4.8 5
      Yellow Card 5.1 6
      4.9 6
      4.8 6
      Midfielders
      Yellow Card 4.9 6
      6.5 7
      4.8 6
      Strikers
      Substitution Out62′ 5.7 6
      Substitution Out37′ 4.6 5
      5.3 6
      Subs
      Substitution In37′ Goal 5.4 6
      Substitution In62′ Goal Yellow Card 6.3 6
      Substitution In73′ 4.9 5

Comment 218 - 238 of 238

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  1. Typical #$%$ fans. They think all they need to do is­ buy more players. Look at where billions of pounds­ worth of players has taken you to? No win in Champions­ League!

    From Wan, on Wed 5 Dec 22:41

  2. i am a neutral,city produced the best quality british­ football i have ever seen.ronaldos goal was a fluke,be­ proud city fans,your team will make the final.

    From Ian, on Fri 21 Sep 16:38

  3. yay ronaldo is happy at real now cos he said he­ won't celebrate cos he is not happy at real and he­ celebrated!!!!

    From Yurgen, on Wed 19 Sep 12:20

  4. Essien has proved Di Matteo wrong. He should not have­ loaned him to Real Madrid. Whilst he was on the pitch­ he helped to keep Manchester City out.

    From D, on Wed 19 Sep 10:35

  5. But for the last 5 or 6 minutes, City played well. Man­ of the match: Hart, no question about it. Though,­ Marcelo played well too. I'm surprised to see that­ Kompany got a 5. I thought he played very well in the­ defense. Maybe a 6.5 would have been more realistic.­ It's a pitty that City lost 2 points in the last­ minutes. They'll have to work hard to get out of­ the group. Real does not look that great. They­ dominated the game, but look fragile at the back.

    From marius, on Wed 19 Sep 9:13

  6. man of the match is surely not di maria ... toure ....­ ronaldo ..... hart were the best on the night

    From Tarek, on Wed 19 Sep 6:34

  7. ozil my brother

    From Mushofa, on Wed 19 Sep 5:33

  8. CR7 is hero...

    From ashok, on Wed 19 Sep 5:01

  9. City need to lose Flopotelli and buy a "Real"­ striker. Get it? lol Out you go small timers, show your­ class!

    From e9o14, on Wed 19 Sep 0:56

  10. sweet victory hala madrid

    From Antoine, on Wed 19 Sep 0:37
  11. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    man city defense was okay untill zabaleta came in and­ was his fault and again dzeko proves why he should­ start mancini i hope you die dzeko should have started­ tevez sucks but real madrid got lucky we will destroy­ you in man city

    From Armin, on Wed 19 Sep 0:16

  12. No, Man City, if you want another two goals in a game­ like this, you'll have to buy them for another Ł400­ million.

    From TruthRaider, on Tue 18 Sep 23:50

  13. Judascity hahahahahahahaha

    From dirk pitt, on Tue 18 Sep 23:35

  14. Di Maria man of the match is that a JOKE??? all he did­ as usual was roll around on the floor and give the ball­ away.

    From Juan, on Tue 18 Sep 23:10

  15. taxi for roberto

    From Juan, on Tue 18 Sep 23:00

  16. AND NOW LET'S ALL SAY OUR DAILY PRAYER TO SAF ­ Our SAF Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your­ SAF Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in­ SAF heaven Give us today our daily bread. Don't­ Forgive LOOSERPOOL, RENTBOYS , MANSHITTY AND THE­ SPUDGUNS sins, WHO DON'T DESERVE FORGIVNESS OF­ those who sin against us. Lead us not into­ temptation, but deliver us from MANSHITTY, RENTBOYS ,­ LOOSERPOOL. AND THE SPUDGUNS For the kingdom, the­ power and the glory GLORY GLORY OF MANCHESTER UTD are­ yours. Now and for ever. Amen

    From Anthony, on Tue 18 Sep 22:50

  17. And now on Croation: Luka Modric super si odigro, samo­ tako nastavi, hvala ti puno sto tako super igras, svi­ ce svatit jednom tebe i tvoju fenomenalnu igru. Ozil je­ dobar kad igrate zajedno, dobar je on covjek. Luka ti­ si najbolji hvala ti svi mi sada vjeruju da si ti­ odlican igrac. Puno ti hvala nemoj stat. Boze pomozi­ nam. Amin.

    From Luka, on Tue 18 Sep 22:36

  18. Ok Martin sorry.

    From Luka, on Tue 18 Sep 22:31

  19. Come on reeeeeeaal!!!!! Maaaadriiiid!!!!! Luuuuka­ moooodric!!!!! Thank you.

    From Luka, on Tue 18 Sep 22:29

  20. Tottingham........ Never in a million years!

    From MARTIN, on Tue 18 Sep 22:26
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