Real Madrid 3 Man City 3: Valverde stunner secures Champions League draw after Foden and Gvardiol wondergoals
JOSKO GVARDIOL is a centre-half, filling in at left-back, who had not scored and barely even had a shot in 32 appearances for Manchester City.
So, in a game of beautiful bedlam, it was fitting that the Croatian should hammer home a corker to put Manchester City into pole position for next Wednesday’s second leg of this clash of European footballing royalty.
When Jack Grealish cut back from the left, Gvardiol’s first touch was awful, almost gifting possession to Toni Kroos, but his second touch was a goal, as let rip from outside the area and propelled City into the lead.
Federico Valverde volleyed a brilliant equaliser but, having survived some prime Real showboating and trailed for the majority of the game, City will be thrilled to go back to Manchester on level terms.
Bernardo Silva had netted a stunning second-minute free-kick only for Eduardo Camavinga and Rodrygo to seize the lead for the 14-time champions of Europe.
But Phil Foden netted a brilliant leveller, his 22nd goal of a stellar season, before Gvardiol fired the City second City cannonball in the space of five minutes.
What an absolute belter of a game this was, between the current champions of Europe and the side which has ruled the continent most often.
Somehow City always seem to end up here for a knock-out tie. It was the fourth time in five seasons and Pep Guardiola’s side had won two of the previous three.
It always feels like some sort of final - the best team in the world against the grandest club in the world, managed by the two most successful bosses of the Champions League era - Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti.
Maybe it will be the final before long or maybe the City project will be torpedoed by the myriad financial charges facing them, to be settled in
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