No Mbappe, No Bellingham, No Problem for Real Madrid.
City start the game with a 4-4-2 press without the ball, while Real Madrid dictated the play in the first two or so minutes. It was sometimes staggered so Bernardo Silva appears to be further forward in the midfield press.
With the ball, Manchester City form a 3 at the back in build-up play, with Rodri just screening as the holding midfielder in front of Guehi, Khushanov and Ruben Dias. Nico O’Reilly goes into the holding midfield position as an inverted Wing Back, while for Real Madrid, it seems Trent holds the same position while Valverde is out wide. City had a few chances to take the lead due to some low crosses into the box that nobody was able to convert. City have shown a little discipline without the ball by playing a mid-block. Also, Valverde and Arda Guler have also been changing positions so that Guler also appears on the right hand side which would make it easier to run on his preferred left foot.
So, in possession, it’s almost like a 3-1-6 with Doku and Savinho out wide, trying to outnumber the opposition. Real’s fluidity however, makes it difficult for City to track them man-for-man as the forwards constantly change positions. Part of the City tactic was to isolate Doku 1 vs 1 against Trent Alexander Arnold as it seems like Guardiola rates Doku’s dribbling abilities.
Real Madrid in the 19th minute took the lead due to an assist from Courtois to find Federico Valverde who rounds Donnarumma to tap home into an empty net. Even with all of City’s dominance in the early phases, it was an error from a goalkeeper and a moment of brilliance from another which gives Real Madrid a lead against the run of play.
I haven’t spoken about Real Madrid so much tactically, but the must have set up defensively quite well to be able to absorb all of Man City’s pressure to be able to lead by two goals to nil. To be fair to Man City, this has been a game of moments and by how things were playing out, a 2-0 scoreline flatters Real Madrid. Honestly, there is something surreal in playing at the Bernabeu, as Man City have learnt in this first half. As expected, the two goals conceded have enabled Madrid to get a bigger foothold on the match.
City tried to grow into the game. However, Madrid in the 42nd minute scored the third goal that would give them one foot into the quarter-finals. Assisted by Brahim Diaz, who will be trying to put the AFCON final penalty miss behind him. Well-taken chance by Valverde who got a very good hat-trick. He hadn’t scored a Champions League goal before this game. It seems that Bernardo Silva dropped a bit deeper to form the 3-2-5 in possession formation that, if we remember correctly, was the same one they used in winning the UCL in 2023.
Guardiola tried to get midfield control in the second half by introducing Tijani Reijnders in place of Savinho. Real had a chance in the forty-seventh minute when Diaz forced a good save by Donnarumma. City still tried to get the ball out wide to the wingers, while Real Madrid defended with a lower block than in the first half. Vinicius Junior was isolated in the game, which makes sense as he has sort of been deployed as a lone striker when the team is without the ball. When the wingers are 1 vs 1, the Real Madrid team doubles up on them, be it Semenyo or Doku.
Real Madrid could absorb pressure given their three-goal lead and hit Man City on the counter which made Vinicius Junior get fouled by Donnarumma in the fifty-sixth minute, in which the Euro 2020 player of the Tournament get a yellow card. He redeemed himself by saving the penalty. Shades of Ousmane Dembele’s miss at the Camp Nou in 2019 semi-final against Liverpool would re-echo if City manage to progress from this unlikely two-legged affair.
In the middle of the second half, it was the same old story. Man City with possession but very little chances. Real Madrid started growing into the game. Usually teams grow into the game before they start scoring. However for this famed 15 UCL club, they score before they grow into the game. The 2022 win in which they knocked out Chelsea, PSG, Liverpool and their current opponents highlight this. Real also have depth on their bench to bring on Eduardo Camavinga to strengthen the midfield.
Madrid’s low block meant that City would pass the ball round. They go wide, but why can’t they progress from the center? I think it’s because they are to wary of the counter attack which is good from Madrid and Arbeloa, their coach.
Good to note that Real Madrid also played a 4-4-2 low block closer to the end of the match. If City was to drag one back, it would be such a contest at the Etihad Stadium, but three goals may just be too much to overcome for the 10 times English Champions and have given the Kings of Europe that edge to play either Atalanta or Bayern Munich in the quarter finals. Not much huffing and puffing by City, and they eventually did not blow the house of the Bernabeu down. Congrats to Real Madrid.
Ore M. 
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