Champions League: Real Madrid’s late magic downs Manchester City again. In a familiar twist of fate, Real Madrid has once more defied the odds, emerging victorious against the formidable Manchester City in a thrilling UEFA Champions League encounter.
On Tuesday in England, the reigning European champions, who have claimed the prestigious trophy a record 15 times, rallied from a second-half deficit to secure a crucial 3-2 aggregate lead in their two-leg knockout series. This victory places them one step closer to advancing to the round of 16.
While the clash between Real Madrid and Manchester City captured the spotlight, fans also witnessed three other intriguing matches across Europe that same evening. Here are the key highlights.
Another instant classic between Real Madrid and Manchester City
Real Madrid’s reputation for Champions League heroics is well-established, yet it is their unparalleled roster that truly sets them apart. Despite having a squad that can rival any team globally, the mystery remains: how does Real Madrid consistently stage remarkable comebacks against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, a team that arguably matches them in talent?
In their previous encounters, Madrid has pulled off stunning turnarounds. Last season, they thwarted City’s hopes of a repeat by coming back twice in the quarterfinals. Two years prior, they scored three times in stoppage time to secure a spot in the final, ultimately triumphing over Liverpool.
On this occasion, Erling Haaland gave City the lead twice, marking his first two goals against Real in five matches. He appeared to seal the victory with a penalty in the 80th minute. However, Kylian Mbappé and substitute Brahim Díaz responded, leveling the score for Real Madrid.
A 2-2 draw would have felt disappointing for Guardiola’s squad, but Jude Bellingham had other plans, scoring the decisive goal in the second minute of stoppage time.
This loss is undoubtedly a heavy blow for the Premier League champions, who have struggled to find their form this season. A victory over the reigning champions would have provided a significant morale boost as they prepare for the return leg in Madrid. Now, they face the daunting task of winning at Estadio Santiago Bernabéu to avoid elimination from the tournament for the first time since 2013.
In Turin, a match featuring Juventus and PSV Eindhoven saw potential participation from six American players. Unfortunately, injuries sidelined three of PSV’s USMNT representatives: Sergiño Dest, Ricardo Pepi, and Malik Tillman.
However, Richy Ledezma for PSV, Weston McKennie, and Tim Weah for Juventus all took the field. McKennie made headlines by scoring a powerful first-half goal.
Juventus maintained their lead until Ivan Perišić equalized for PSV, but Samuel Mbangula’s late goal secured a 2-1 victory for the Italian club as they head to the Netherlands with a narrow advantage.
The only other American player in action was Borussia Dortmund’s Gio Reyna, who remained on the bench during his team’s 3-0 victory over Sporting Lisbon in Portugal.
One of the most intriguing narratives of the 2024-25 Champions League season has been the rise of Brest, a modest French club that has experienced a fairy tale run, finishing ahead of renowned teams like Juventus and Manchester City in the league standings.
However, the dream faced a harsh reality on Tuesday. Although the second leg against PSG remains, the series appears nearly over after PSG’s dominant 3-0 victory in the first leg.
PSG took the lead with a penalty from Vitinha in the 21st minute and added another goal from Ousmane Dembélé before halftime. Dembélé’s third goal after the break set the stage for a challenging return match for Brest.
Dembélé has now scored five goals in his last two games against Brest, having netted a hat trick against them earlier this month in Ligue 1.
