Manchester City remains on course to reach a second successive Champions League final after beating Spanish La Liga top side Real Madrid in a thrilling semi-final first leg. Kevin de Bruyne’s diving header and Brazilian Gabriel Jesus‘ calm finish gave City a 2-0 lead inside the opening 11 minutes of the game before Karim Benzema volleyed home for Real to make the scores 2-1.
England International Phil Foden’s header gave Manchester City another goal as the margin went up to 3-1. Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr scored an individual goal to make the scores 3-2 but Portuguese star Bernardo Silva blasted in City’s fourth before Benzema’s chipped penalty following Aymeric Laporte’s handball made the scores 4-3.
Manchester City has never won the European Cup or Champions League and lost 1-0 to Chelsea in last season’s final, but produced a superb performance to take advantage of Spain. However, head coach Pep Guardiola will be annoyed they did not secure a wider winning margin after leading 2-0, 3-1, and 4-2, but Benzema’s incredible ‘Panenka’ penalty gave the Spanish league leaders hope of turning the tie around at the Bernabeu on Wednesday, 4 May.
Liverpool faces the Spanish side, Villarreal, in this year’s other semi-final, with the first leg at Anfield on Wednesday. The final will be held at the Stade de France in Paris on Saturday, 28 May.