PATEL: Real Madrid's battling win over City felt like a heavyweight boxing fight

The clock had ticked just past 11.30PM when the UEFA representative informed the written media that Carlo Ancelotti would not be conducting a post-match press conference and that he would simply be going through the mixed zone instead. Yes, it was late but this was Ancelotti doing it his own way.

Minutes before, Pep Guardiola had discussed how he felt his Manchester City side could not have done any more to break through Real Madrid. ‘We played exceptional in all departments,’ he said. ‘They defended so deep with incredible solidarity. We did everything. I have no regrets,’ Guardiola insisted.

He was pressed further about Ancelotti and Madrid’s defensive approach. ‘I don’t want to judge the way and ideas with which Madrid and Carlo decided to play,’ he said. More than anything, it was a statement of respect rather than frustration.

Ancelotti’s side started brilliantly, content with City having possession in their own half though comfortable in possession themselves - their early goal was a prime example as they cut through City with ease.

Yet inexcusably after the break, Madrid went deeper and deeper as the City onslaught continued. It was one-way traffic and after the equaliser, only one team truly looked like they could win.

‘You can’t explain it. We started well, we took the lead and then we started to defend, to suffer, to qualify. We thought we would play differently, but when we took the lead we dropped the block too much,’ Ancelotti admitted afterwards.

Still his team fought admirably with Andriy Lunin - Madrid’s third-choice goalkeeper going into the season - putting in a man-of-the-match display.

By the dying stages, it felt like the twelfth round of a heavyweight fight with two elite sides refusing to be beaten. One