Spanish Giants Stun City with Late Double Blow to Take 3-2 Lead in Champions League Playoff Thriller
In a breathtaking Champions League showdown on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, Jude Bellingham emerged as the hero for Real Madrid, scoring a stoppage-time winner to complete a stunning comeback against Manchester City. The Spanish giants overturned a 2-1 deficit in the final six minutes of the first leg, securing a 3-2 advantage to take back to the Bernabeu next week.
The match at the Etihad Stadium was a rollercoaster of emotions, with City seemingly in control after Erling Haaland’s brace put them ahead. However, Real Madrid’s resilience shone through as Brahim Diaz leveled the score before Bellingham’s dramatic late strike silenced the home crowd. The goal, coming in the second minute of added time, was a fitting climax to a match filled with twists and turns.
“We need to see games out better, that’s for sure,” admitted a dejected John Stones, City’s defender. “It’s difficult to stay positive right now, but we have to.”
The loss ended City’s remarkable 35-game unbeaten run at home in the Champions League, a streak dating back to 2018. For Real Madrid, the victory evoked memories of their dramatic semifinal comeback against City in 2022, when Rodrygo’s late goals sent the tie to extra time.
Pep Guardiola, City’s manager, expressed his frustration at his team’s inability to hold onto their lead. “It’s not the first time this has happened, and that’s why it’s so difficult,” he said. “I’ve been here for many years, and we’ve been an extraordinary team, but in these moments, I’m not good enough to give the team the composure they need.”
The match was a showcase of European football at its finest, with both teams creating numerous chances. City took the lead in the 19th minute through Haaland, but Madrid came close to equalizing multiple times, hitting the woodwork twice in the first half. Haaland himself struck the crossbar early in the second half, but it was Kylian Mbappé’s bizarre miskicked volley that brought Madrid level on the hour mark.
City regained the lead through Haaland’s penalty after Phil Foden was fouled in the box, but Diaz, a former City academy player, leveled the score again before Bellingham’s late heroics.
“I don’t care what form City are in; they’re still an unbelievable team,” Bellingham said after the match. “It’s always tricky to play against them, but in the end, we took one of our chances and made it count.”
The result leaves the tie finely poised, with City needing to overturn the deficit in Madrid. Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Champions League, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, and Borussia Dortmund all took significant steps toward the next round with impressive victories.
As the football world catches its breath, one thing is clear: the drama of the Champions League is alive and well, and Real Madrid’s never-say-die spirit continues to define their legacy.
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