MADRID — Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior and Manchester City’s Erling Haaland have been relaxed and laughing as they embraced after the ultimate whistle on the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
They each appeared happy following an excellent first leg that led to a 1-1 draw and left the Champions League semifinal huge open going into subsequent week’s return match in Manchester.
Vinícius and Kevin de Bruyne scored with long-range strikes in a match wherein Madrid‘s defense successfully kept Haaland — the Champions League’s main scorer — from being decisive.
“I think both teams have the feeling that it was a good result,” stated Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti, who took cost of his one hundred and ninetieth Champions League match as coach. “Maybe we played a bit better to deserve a victory, but it’s a series that will be even until the last minute.”
Madrid beat City in final yr’s semifinals and went on to win a record-extending 14th Champions League title whereas the English membership once more fell wanting European success.
“It was an even match,” City coach Pep Guardiola stated. “They scored when we were better and we equalized when they were better. It will all be decided in Manchester.”
The first leg of the opposite semifinal between Italian rivals Inter Milan and AC Milan is on Wednesday.
“Both teams played well. It’s a good draw,” Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois stated. “There’s everything to play for next week.”
City managed possession however couldn’t translate it into important scoring alternatives. Haaland wasted a number of possibilities early however wasn’t a lot of a risk all through the sport on the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
The Norwegian got here into the match having scored 12 of City’s 26 objectives within the Champions League this season and was 5 wanting Cristiano Ronaldo’s single-season document of 17 for Madrid in 2013-14.
Vinícius created issues for the City protection and opened the scoring with a shot into the highest nook within the thirty sixth minute for his seventh Champions League purpose this season. The Brazil ahead picked up a move by Eduardo Camavinga and used one contact to arrange his right-footed shot from outdoors the world.
City struggled to come back near Madrid’s purpose however De Bruyne discovered the web within the 67th with a robust one-timer from outdoors the world after Madrid misplaced possession due to a poor move throughout the sector by Camavinga.
Madrid complained that it was not awarded a nook within the buildup of City’s purpose.
“It was a shame that we conceded that goal,” Madrid midfielder Luka Modric stated. “I think we deserved more. They had more possession but didn’t create a lot of chances. It’s still 50-50 and we will go into the second match with confidence.”
Haaland had not but joined City when it misplaced 6-5 on mixture to Madrid in final yr’s semifinals. Vinícius, Rodrygo and Karim Benzema mixed for all of Madrid’s objectives that point.
Madrid is making its eleventh semifinal look in 13 seasons and is attempting to win its sixth title in 10 years. City performed in its first Champions League closing two seasons in the past, dropping to Chelsea.
Madrid, which gained the Copa del Rey title this previous weekend, is nearly out of rivalry within the Spanish league and might totally deal with the semifinal in opposition to City. The English aspect stays in the midst of a decent title race within the Premier League.
“Manchester will be like a final in front of our own fans,” Guardiola stated.
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