Guardiola’s side overturn early deficit at the Bernabéu while support for embattled Real boss hangs in the balance
Manchester City clawed back from a goal down to defeat Real Madrid 2-1 in a gripping Champions League clash on Wednesday, leaving home coach Xabi Alonso clinging to his job amid a deepening crisis at the Spanish giants.
Playing without injured superstar Kylian Mbappé, Real Madrid struck first through Rodrygo Goes in the 28th minute, but defensive errors allowed City to reply before halftime. Nico O’Reilly capitalized on a spilled save by goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, and Erling Haaland converted a penalty to seal a comeback that keeps City atop their group—and casts Alonso’s future into serious doubt.
Spanish media had reported before kickoff that a loss could end Alonso’s tenure, and though his side started brightly, familiar frailties resurfaced in a tense, whistle-filled second half at a simmering Bernabéu.
“Until the goal we scored, they were much better,” admitted City manager Pep Guardiola. “We’ve played much better here before and not won.”
Real Madrid, 15-time European champions, have now won only twice in their last eight matches across all competitions. Alonso, already under fire, had to leave Mbappé on the bench due to knee discomfort, handing 21-year-old Gonzalo García a surprise start up front.
Frustration boiled over among home supporters as Madrid struggled to find a second-half response. “It’s normal—Madrid is a very demanding club,” Rodrygo told Movistar. “We know this can happen if we aren’t good. It’s fair, and we have to accept it and try to improve.”
The match, the 15th installment of a modern European classic, began at a furious pace. Madrid thought they had an early penalty when Vinícius Júnior went down, but VAR overturned the decision. Rodrygo’s slick finish then gave the hosts a deserved lead—his first goal in 33 games, and a emotional moment as he embraced Alonso on the touchline.
“It’s a difficult moment for us and for him as well,” Rodrygo said afterward. “We wanted to show people we’re together with the coach.”
But Courtois’s fumble from a Josko Gvardiol header allowed O’Reilly to tap in the equalizer, and a clumsy challenge by Antonio Rüdiger on Haaland handed City the penalty that decided the match. Courtois later redeemed himself with several key stops, but Madrid’s attack lacked ideas after the break.
Alonso turned to rarely-used 19-year-old substitute Endrick in the closing stages, and the teenager nearly leveled with a curling effort that clipped the bar. Yet it was too little, too late for a team now facing an uphill battle to qualify for the knockout phase.
In the post-match mixed zone, defender Raul Asencio struck a defiant note: “The dressing room is with Xabi Alonso.”
But with president Florentino Pérez watching intently, and pressure growing by the week, those words may soon be put to the test.
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