|
Listen now
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Manchester City came from behind to beat Real Madrid 2-1 on Wednesday in the Champions League and leave Xabi Alonso’s position as coach of the Spanish giants in grave danger.
Without injured superstar Kylian Mbappe, Madrid took the lead through Rodrygo but Nico O’Reilly and an Erling Haaland penalty secured Pep Guardiola’s Man City the three points.
Spanish media reported in the lead-up to the game that a defeat would seal Alonso’s fate as Madrid coach, although his team’s performance was creditable, despite the eventual outcome at a frustrated Bernabeu stadium.
The record 15-time Champions League winners have now won just two of their last eight matches across all competitions, and face a battle for a place in the top eight of the league phase table.
Alonso was forced to leave his team’s top scorer Mbappe on the bench, saying it would have been “a risk” to use him amid knee discomfort, and starting 21-year-old striker Gonzalo Garcia instead.
This was the 15th meeting between these sides, in what has become a modern Champions League classic, and it started at lightning speed, with Vinicius Junior heavily involved in the opening exchanges.
Madrid’s Brazilian forward was felled by Matheus Nunes with the referee pointing to the spot, but a VAR review showed the contact was outside the area.
Guardiola was not pleased with his team’s first half display but they went in ahead after Antonio Rudiger held Haaland in the back and City were awarded a penalty.
The Norwegian striker, who will face Mbappe’s France at the World Cup next summer, sent Courtois the wrong way from the spot.
Alonso brought on Arda Guler for Garcia and shifted Bellingham into a central attacking role, of the kind he enjoyed under Carlo Ancelotti in his spectacular first season with Madrid.
The Basque coach also turned to youngster Endrick, whom he has hardly utilised at all since arriving, and the 19-year-old headed inches over the crossbar with five minutes to go.
Madrid were short of ideas in the second half and may look to another coach for new ones in the coming days.
Follow the MoneyCentral Nigeria channel on WhatsApp: Click here!
