The much anticipated UEFA Champions League quarter-finals took place somewhere after midnight (12:30 IST) on 10th April, and football fans surely stayed up for what might be the best quarter-final as Manchester City took on Real Madrid in Spain for the first leg. And they were not disappointed, not in the slightest. Both teams are chock-full of young stars who will be the future of football, and their talents were showcased best in a fiercely fought, topsy-turvy battle that deservedly ended 3-3. Let’s look at some of the players who were standouts for their team.
Manchester City
- Phil Foden
Foden’s exemplary theatrics saw him win the player-of-the-match, and with an action-packed match like the one we witnessed at the Bernabéu, there were many contenders for it. But Foden was brilliant throughout the game and wholeheartedly deserves all the praise and awards. He was always in the thick of things, making delightful runs at the wing and constantly pushing through the solid Real Madrid defence. Locked at 2-1 with his side in the deficit for a while, Foden managed a left-foot screamer that flew onto the top left corner to level the game. The Real defenders gave him just a fraction of space, but Foden was quick to lap it up and set up an immaculate goal. This young man has a bright future ahead.
- Bernardo Silva
In the absence of an enigmatic Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva made his presence doubly felt- attacking well with a string of good passes, rushing to the backline to defend a Real attack, he was doing it all. Silva started the match off by absolutely stunning the Bernabéu crowd, scoring in just the 2nd minute of the game with a perfectly placed free kick that eluded the gloves of Andriy Lunin. He was instrumental in keeping the game dominated by Manchester City.
Real Madrid
- Rodrygo
Rodrygo brought life back into the fans when he sprinted through the left wing against 2 Manchester City defenders and moved delicately before getting it past the goalie to give Real Madrid the lead. He was constantly ensuring City fans had their hearts in their mouths, thriving off of counter-attacking football to make fast-paced runs.
- Vinicius Jr
Vinicius Jr. has always impressed with his incredible pace that leaves most backlines tottering, and he showed why he is one of Brazil’s greatest prospects. He first set up that Rodrygo goal with a beautiful through pass, then laid up a cross for Valverde which levelled the game at 3-3. Those 2 assists changed the game and brought it back to Madrid, and his staggering runs caused a lot of problems for City.
Honourable Mentions
Some moments just need to be talked about, like Modrić coming in late into the game and immediately getting in the thick of things, making runs that were, as quoted by the commentator, “turning back the clock” and finding those glorious long passes. John Stones was brilliant in the backline, particularly towards the end, and even assisted the Foden goal. The Gvardiol goal was a stunning moment, a defender striking the ball with such conviction was amazing to watch.
Although he may not be Real Madrid fans’ favourite at the moment, a lot of credit must go to the referee for letting the game flow. Two sensational teams were going at each other, and he gave them the space to battle it out. He wasn’t calling fouls that one would normally expect to be called, especially after the yellow card he handed out in the first minute of play! But he was doing the same for both sides and was a key contributor to the incredible game we witnessed.
A Real Madrid – Manchester City battle would always be a treat for fans, but none would’ve expected such an enthralling contest, and it has set up a very important second leg at the Etihad Stadium. Manchester City are looking favourites to get onto the semi-finals, but if this match is any indicator, Real Madrid are not going down without a fight.
