Manchester City turned their Champions League fortunes around with a hard-fought 2–1 victory over Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu, putting themselves back in strong contention for a top-eight finish in the group stage.
Real Madrid appeared to be in command early on. The hosts took the lead in the 28th minute when Rodrygo capitalised on space on the right and fired low past Gianluigi Donnarumma to break the deadlock and reward a promising early spell of play.
City’s response came quickly. Seven minutes later, a corner caused chaos in the box when Thibaut Courtois could not gather a Josko Gvardiol header, allowing Nico O’Reilly to react first and stroke the ball home to level the score.
The visitors then took the lead in the 43rd minute after a VAR check confirmed a penalty when Antonio Rüdiger brought down Erling Haaland inside the area. The Norwegian forward kept his composure to convert from the spot and send City into the break ahead.
The second half saw chances at both ends, but neither side could find the decisive third goal. Madrid pushed forward in search of an equaliser, with Vinícius Júnior and Endrick both going close, yet City defended resolutely and saw out the win.
The result lifts Manchester City to fourth in the group with 13 points and puts them firmly in control of their destiny as they look to secure a seeded place going into the knockout rounds. Meanwhile, Real Madrid drop to seventh with 12 points, and the defeat heaps additional pressure on manager Xabi Alonso after a mixed run of form.
