The England midfielder's stunning strike silenced the Bernabeu as he showed exactly why he is one of the favourites for the 2024 Golden Ball
Last year, Erling Haaland left Santiago Bernabeu having endured perhaps his quietest performance in a Manchester City shirt. In the midst of one of the great goal-scoring campaigns, the Norwegian forward had been silenced, predominantly by Antonio Rudiger. That night, Madrid and City played out an intriguing yet somewhat forgettable 1-1 draw with Real Madrid. One year on, Haaland was quietened again on Tuesday by Rudiger, but the fabric of the match was entirely different.
It wasn't supposed to look like this, though. Both managers deployed line-ups with control and solidity in mind, and thus the first leg of this Champions League quarter-final should have been a cagey affair. The reality was the opposite, as control gave way to chaos in the most memorable of 3-3 thrillers.
City only needed two minutes to take the lead, as Bernardo Silva's whipped free-kick caught Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin napping at his near post. Los Blancos responded swiftly, though, as goals from first Eduardo Camavinga, then Rodrygo overturned the early deficit within 15 minutes.
What played out from there was a feisty clash, with tackles and confrontation aplenty. But there was also some football to be played, something Phil Foden proved with a fine curled effort that brought City back into the game, and capped yet another wonderful performance from one of 2024's top contenders for the Ballon d'Or.
Josko Gvardiol added a third for City within five minutes, as the defender smashed in his own long-range effort, only for Madrid to have the final word, as Federico Valverde volleyed home Vinicius Jr's cross to cap off an instant classic.
This wasn't the game that many would have predicted – least of all Haaland – but leaves the tie balanced perfectly ahead of the second leg on April 17.
GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Santiago Bernabeu…
Getty ImagesWINNER: Antonio Rudiger
Remember Toni, Erling? The German centre-back engaged in a memorable duel with City's Golden Boot-winning striker last season, shutting him down at the Bernabeu in a campaign where very few knew how to stop the Norwegian powerhouse. And the same happened here, as Rudiger seemed to relish the challenge from the first minute, shackling Haaland throughout.
It was a rough duel, as Rudiger was unafraid to snap into challenges and handle the big man. But it ultimately worked, as Haaland was limited to just one shot on the night, a speculative poke from a tight angle. By the end of it all, Haaland looked short of ideas, while Rudiger won header after header to keep his side alive in the tie.
Their rivalry has become captivating viewing, and perhaps among the reasons why Madrid will feel they can go to the Etihad and get the win they need. Keep Haaland quiet again, and City become easier to beat.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesLOSER: Erling Haaland's big-game reputation
This was Haalan'ds second appearance at the Bernabeu, although he had visited the stadium before when he was considering a move to Madrid in 2022 while still a Borussia Dortmund player. If he was looking to impress the locals with an eventual transfer to Madrid, then he failed badly.
The Norwegian predictably saw little of the ball and was monstered by Rudiger, who proved far stronger and intelligent. Haaland was pushed around by the Germany international, and on the rare occasion he dropped deep to try and help City’s play, he was also smothered by either Toni Kroos or Eduardo Camavinga. His first good contribution came when he raced back to tackle Vinicius around the halfway line.
Haaland has failed to score in three games against Madrid and has a worrying record in the biggest matches, with a couple of notable exceptions. But his lack of goals is not the only issue. City have changed the way they play to accommodate him, and in certain matches they seem to play better without him.
Pep Guardiola now has to make a difficult decision ahead of the second leg: does he persist with a plan that is not currently working, or does he make a gutsy call and start without his record-breaking hitman?
GettyWINNER: Phil Foden's Ballon d'Or case
Foden played just four minutes out of 180 against Real Madrid last season, but he is a new man this year and went into the game as the City player the hosts feared the most. The England midfielder was singled out by Spanish newspaper as the holders’ main threat, stating that the homegrown midfielder had "conquered" Guardiola’s squad.
On Tuesday, he conquered Europe and made an early bid to be considered for the Ballon d’Or. He is the firm favourite to win the PFA and Football Writers Player of the Season awards in England, and if City can retain the Champions League, there is a strong argument for him to win the prestigious global prize too.
With Haaland barely showing any signs of life, it was always going to fall on Foden to drag City back into the game. And after a few blocked shots, he duly delivered, letting rip from outside the area. It was his 22nd goal of the season and possibly his best, even topping his thunderbolt against Manchester United in the derby last month.
It shows how much Guardiola demands of Foden that he was less than impressed with his overall performance. “He was not involved for a lot of the game, we could not find him,” said the coach. “But he has this spark, this talent to create something.” He sure does, and here he lit up the Bernabeu with one of his greatest goals yet.
GettyWINNER: Josko Gvardiol
So that’s why the Croatian cost so much money! Gvardiol has not had an easy first season settling in at City. In truth, few players do. But he has now adapted to his surroundings and this was the game when he truly shone.
Gvardiol was a serious doubt after being forced off in the first half against Crystal Palace on Saturday, but City were already short of defensive options due to the absences of Nathan Ake and Kyle Walker, and Gvardiol not only returned to fitness, but he produced his best display for the club.
He defended with aggression and intelligence, and on the odd occasion he lost the ball, he fought tooth and nail to retrieve it. And what a time and what a way to score his first goal for City, an utterly unstoppable piledriver that was even better than Foden’s strike. It’s a pity it wasn’t the winner, but Gvardiol had already made his mark.
