If this is to prove the last game Pep Guardiola manages at the Bernabeu, what a way to go. And if it ends up as Xabi Alonso’s final match in charge of Real Madrid, what a quick, undignified end. A match that unravelled like a reign that began well.
An eight-minute meltdown brought Real a second successive home defeat. First Celta Vigo triumphed at the Bernabeu, now Manchester City have. A Real team with a mere two victories in eight games represent a club with a culture of impatience. Alonso could become its latest victim.
“It’s not up to me,” he admitted. “I am looking forward to the next game.” If he gets one.
But as he was beaten by a mentor, Guardiola’s seventh win at the Bernabeu may have been his most unlikely, for all Real’s problems. City exited the Champions League in Madrid last season and revived their chances of a top-eight finish in the league phase this year; the damage done by defeat to Bayer Leverkusen was repaired in spectacular fashion.
Guardiola did not get carried away or see his side as potential champions. “I have been here many times in the last five years and we played better than today and didn’t win,” he said. “The reality is that in the last stages we have to do better.”
But he smiled as he said it. “Winning in Bernabeu is a big, big task,” he said.
He had a comeback to savour. It gave Erling Haaland the status of the match-winner in Madrid; a player who was long expected to join Real instead made it to the Bernabeu to condemn them to defeat.
But perhaps the match revolved around Nico O’Reilly. Arguably at fault when Rodrygo put Real ahead, he went on to level. “He makes mistakes but he tries and that is top,” added Guardiola.
A year ago, O’Reilly had not even played in the Premier League. Now he is an England international who has scored at the Bernabeu. “This goal will be with me forever,” he said. No wonder.
Because a Champions League Clasico is a clash that always delivers. It seemed set to offer Alonso a much-needed win before Real collapsed at the end of the first half. They had looked in control and then fell apart. If it was Alonso’s last stand, Real stumbled and tumbled to lose their footing.
“Until the goal we scored, they were much better,” admitted Guardiola. City’s turnaround appeared to come from nowhere and yet exposed Real’s frailties. Their patched-up defence looked fragile, conceding from a corner, giving away a penalty. They seemed vulnerable when City attacked them. Certainly, the stand-in right-back Fede Valverde did as he was tormented by Jeremy Doku. “Jeremy was outstanding,” said Guardiola.
Initially, though, the irrepressible wingers were in Real white. They were awarded a penalty when Matheus Nunes tripped Vinicius Junior, only for VAR to determine the offence occurred outside the area. Yet Nunes against Vinicius shaped up as an unfair contest.
Then Rodrygo, one of those who has suffered from Alonso’s appointment, seemed to come to his rescue. His goal was his first of the season, or for Alonso, or in 32 games. “Rodrygo played a great game,” said Alonso. The scourge of City in the 2022 semi-final mustered a fifth goal against them.
City were outflanked, as they were at the start. Rodrygo kept finding space outside O’Reilly. It cost City when Jude Bellingham switched play to the Brazilian, who placed a shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma. So far, so good for Real.
Then, stunningly, it went wrong. O’Reilly followed up to finish after Thibaut Courtois parried Josko Gvardiol’s header. It was uncharacteristically poor goalkeeping by the Belgian, but the Mancunian has a fearlessness that can equip him for such stages. He had endured defensive difficulties at the start, Rodrygo repeatedly evading him. He was undeterred. He took to making buccaneering surges forward.
Next, it was Haaland’s turn to strike. He had been dominated by Antonio Rudiger two seasons ago, but exacted revenge. The Norwegian won and converted a penalty. Dragged down by Rudiger, he may have been alone in appealing, but a VAR intervention meant the offence was spotted. Haaland sent Courtois the wrong way for his 21st goal of the season.
“We have to find a way to find him more,” said Guardiola, but Haaland’s first half was a masterclass in efficiency. He only had six touches but two were shots on target. Courtois made a double save from Haaland and Rayan Cherki to deny City a third. He later thwarted Doku, too.
Haaland’s Real counterpart was missing. It was billed as a battle of two superstar strikers, but only one figured. “I expected to come up against Kylian [Mbappe],” said Haaland. But Mbappe was benched by an ankle problem, costing Real the services of a man with 25 goals this season. When Alonso used up his three substitution windows without turning to the Champions League’s top scorer, it confirmed Mbappe was not fit.
So it fell to Vinicius, another who has floundered under Alonso, to try and save Real. He almost did. He had two chances to equalise, directing a header and a volley just wide. Endrick headed against the bar. Real mounted a frenzied pursuit of a leveller. It eluded them. “The players are giving to the last breath,” said Alonso. That may not be enough.
But Guardiola added to his list of wins over Real. His name had been whistled before kick-off. There were times, though, when the Bernabeu descended into silence. He had provided supportive words the previous day for Alonso, the player he signed for Bayern Munich. But if that helped his cause, this hindered it.
