Real Madrid slumped to a devastating 2-1 defeat to Manchester City at home, in the first leg of their Round of 16 tie in the UEFA Champions League.
The hosts were the better side for the majority of the first half, thanks to their brave high press that denied the opposition from building up from the back. However, neither of the sides managed to break the deadlock, and it wasn’t until the 60th minute that Real Madrid scored the opener through Isco.
But, Los Blancos struggled to maintain their intensity as time wore on. As a result, Man City found it easier to distribute possession and create chances. Eventually, the Sky Blues managed to equalise in the 78th minute, thanks to Gabriel Jesus. Minutes later, Dani Carvajal conceded a penalty that was calmly converted by Kevin de Bruyne to complete an excellent comeback.
Here are the Real Madrid players rated in their defeat to Man City.
Real Madrid Players Rated In Defeat To Manchester City
Thibaut Courtois 8/10
Courtois made two stunning saves in the first half, especially the one that denied Jesus from scoring the opener. Those saves were critical in preventing the opposition from dominating the game. However, he couldn’t have done anything to keep out the Brazilian’s header as well as de Bruyne’s penalty late in the game.
Dani Carvajal 4/10
It was a dreadful defensive performance from Dani Carvajal. The defender simply struggled to deal with the threat of Raheem Sterling in the second half. He ended up clipping the Man City attacker, ultimately costing Real Madrid another precious away goal.
Raphael Varane 7.5/10
Varane was solid throughout the game. The Frenchman showed excellent composure to deal with the Man City attackers. He was aerial dominant as well while his ball circulation was absolutely exquisite. An all-round performance from the Real Madrid defender.
Sergio Ramos 4/10
Much like Carvajal, it was a nightmarish game for Sergio Ramos. He made the error of not being able to mark Jesus properly for Man City’s first goal. And later, the experienced centre-back fouled the Brazilian just outside the penalty area, though the red card that followed was a bit harsh.
Ferland Mendy 7.5/10
While Carvajal struggled to deal with Sterling in the second half, Ferland Mendy was pretty solid for the majority of the game. The Frenchman’s good sense of positioning gave him the upper hand as Man City failed to identify space between him and the partnering centre-back.
Casemiro 5/10
It wasn’t the best of performances from Casemiro, whose poor passing was a significant weak link in the Real Madrid build-up. Moreover, the Brazilian struggled to track back when Manchester City tried to counter-attack.
Luka Modric 6.5/10
Modric started the game well, applying early pressure. He also won the ball that led to Real Madrid’s opener in the 60th minute. However, aside from that, the Croatian never really managed to make an impact and was completely outclassed by de Bruyne.
Federico Valverde 7/10
It wasn’t the easiest of games for Federico Valverde. But, he was Real Madrid’s best midfielder tonight, largely thanks to his relentless pressing and ability to cover the pitch. He can hold his head up high despite the loss.
Isco 8/10
Isco was one of the better performers for Real Madrid against Manchester City. He was an integral part of their first line of press and looked lively whenever he had the ball. The Spaniard scored the all-important opener, too, though his influence did slightly fade as time wore on.
Karim Benzema 6/10
It was a bad day at the office for Karim Benzema. The Frenchman was barely able to involve himself in the thick of things and ended up with only 31 touches of the ball.
Vinicius Junior 8.5/10
Vinicius is arguably the man of the match for Real Madrid tonight. The young Brazilian offered a lot of flair in the final third. His pace and tenacity made life difficult for Kyle Walker, and he was the one who found Isco for the opener.
It was scintillating to watch him take on Manchester City defenders. And his performance will be one of the positives Zinedine Zidane takes out from this game.
SUBSTITUTES
Gareth Bale 5/10
Why Gareth Bale was introduced at the expense of Vinicius in the 75th minute was puzzling, to say the least. The Welshman didn’t have any impact on the proceedings.
Luka Jovic N/A
Replaced Isco in the 84th minute but had very little time to make an impact.
Lucas Vazquez N/A
Much like Jovic, Vazquez’s arrival was too little too late for Zidane.
