Real Madrid handled business at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night, securing a 2–1 win over Manchester City to advance to the Champions League quarterfinals 5–1 on aggregate.
After winning the first leg 3–0 at the Bernabéu, Los Blancos only needed to avoid a catastrophic collapse away from home to advance in their favorite competition. They looked shaky at best in the early stages of the match, but everything fell into place quite nicely for the visitors after Bernardo Silva was sent off in the 20th minute for the denial of a goalscoring opportunity.
Vinicius Junior converted the penalty awarded to Real Madrid for Silva’s handball on the goal line, taking much of the sting out of the game. Erling Haaland pulled one back on the brink of halftime, but the mountain was too steep for City to climb.
Just before the final whistle, Vinicius Jr bagged his brace to make sure the 15-time European champions secured the victory on the night and in the tie.
Winners and Losers
Winners
Vinicius Junior was once again the star for Real Madrid on a massive European night. The Brazilian’s electrifying surge forward in the 17th minute was the catalyst for Silva’s red card and the subsequent penalty that all but put the tie to bed. The winger then calmly slotted home his 16th Champions League knockout stage goal in stoppage time to silence the Etihad.
Perhaps the biggest winner of all, though, is Álvaro Arbeloa. The Spanish boss was without nearly half of his starting XI for the tie with City, but he still led his side to a comfortable triumph in his biggest test yet—one many pegged him to fail. The manager has now bested Pep Guardiola twice in his first few months on the touchline.
Losers
Trent Alexander-Arnold was the only player in Arbeloa’s XI to get a full rest at the weekend, yet his fresh legs did little to help him shine back in England. The fullback needed Federico Valverde and Thiago Pitarch’s help to close down Jérémy Doku, failed to truly get involved in the attack and took an unfortunate touch inside his own box that ultimately allowed Haaland to fire from close-range.
Thibaut Courtois was once again sensational in the first half, standing on his head to deny City’s advances during the game’s frenetic start. Yet he only featured for the first half before coming off at halftime due to a fitness concern. An injury to the Belgian ahead of the Madrid derby could spell disaster for Real Madrid.
Real Madrid Player Ratings vs. Man City (4-4-2)
GK: Thibaut Courtois—7.0: Weathered City’s early storm with the poise of the best in the world. Made four saves in the first half, but came off at halftime with an injury worry.
RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold—7.5: Always needed an extra body near him to deal with Doku. Lobbed long balls forward and sent in wayward crosses without much success.
CB: Antonio Rüdiger—6.2: A stabilizing force at the back. Apart from his own defensive efforts, he deserves credit for helping Huijsen regain his confidence and prowess.
CB: Dean Huijsen—6.9: Stepped up massively in the early stages, putting his body on the line to block a close-range strike from Tijjani Reijnders. Has grown up tremendously over both legs of the tie.
LB: Fran García—6.7: Got bested by Matheus Nunes on one nervy occasion, but otherwise held his own. Used his speed to his advantage.
RM: Federico Valverde—7.2: Muffed a golden chance early on. Settled into a more defensive role for much of the night, helping Alexander-Arnold with Doku. Denied a late goal by the offside flag.
CM: Thiago Pitarch—6.7: Burned by Doku in the build-up to Haaland’s goal. Otherwise, pitched in to defend the winger, recycled possession with ease and brought stability to the midfield.
CM: Aurélien Tchouaméni—8.4: Put in a tireless effort in the middle. Made three clearances, three tackles, five recoveries and was only dribbled past twice. Ended the night setting up Vinicius Jr’s second.
LM: Arda Güler—7.3: Calm on the ball to settle the game in the frantic opening 20 minutes. Looked extremely dangerous driving forward in space. Played sensational balls to unleash his teammates up top.
ST: Brahim Díaz—6.6: Showed flashes of brilliance, but lacked the end product. Would have liked to make more of a statement in what is likely his last start now that Mbappé is back.
ST: Vinicius Junior—9.0: Redeemed his penalty blunder from the first leg with a successful spot kick at the Etihad and then bagged his brace in stoppage time. Easily the team’s most dangerous player, but squandered a wealth of chances early that could have seen him leave with a hat-trick.
SUB: Andriy Lunin (46’ for Courtois)—7.2: Called into action almost immediately with a huge save on Haaland after the restart. Settled in nicely to see Real Madrid through the rest of the game.
SUB: Kylian Mbappé (69’ for Díaz)—6.3: Couldn’t help but smile after his first touch in 24 days resulted in a chance on goal. Couldn’t believe he didn’t win his side a penalty after he was blatantly pulled down inside the box.
SUB: Eduardo Camavinga (74’ for Güler)—6.3: Tidy in possession during his brief cameo.
SUB: Manuel Ángel (74’ for Pitarch)—6.1: Sat deep to help his team defend.
SUB: Dani Carvajal (83’ for Alexander-Arnold)—N/A
Subs not used: Álvaro Carreras, David Alaba, Diego Aguado, César Palacios, Jorge Cestero, Franco Mastantuono, Gonzalo García.
What the Ratings Tell Us
- Thiago Pitarch has quickly established himself as a vital piece of Arbeloa’s XI. His relentless work rate, dynamic movement and aggressive pressing infuses life into what was a floundering midfield. The teenager’s rise puts Arda Güler at risk of losing his starting job once Jude Bellingham returns.
- Federico Valverde’s goalscoring has taken center stage as of late, but he can just as seamlessly switch back to his more selfless role in the middle of the park. The Uruguayan did not stop running the entire match, covering ground for his teammates, driving forward in transition or getting back to help contain Doku.
- Dean Huijsen faced his fare share of criticism throughout his debut season, but he has silenced his doubters over the last few weeks. The Spaniard came up huge with goal-saving interventions and timely blocks across both legs, looking solid and sure of himself when Los Blancos need him most.
The Numbers That Explain Real Madrid’s Massive Win
- Real Madrid will be thankful their squandered chances did not cost them on the night. The team tallied a 2.93 xG and rifled off 14 shots, but only scored one goal from open play.
- Los Blancos were tidy in possession, completing 504 passes to boast a 92% passing accuracy.
- Arbeloa’s men thrive in transition, and their six big chances on the night almost all came on the counter attack.
| Statistic | Man City | Real Madrid |
|---|---|---|
| Posession | 47% | 53% |
| Expected Goals (xG) | 1.91 | 2.93 |
| Total Shots | 22 | 14 |
| Shots on Target | 8 | 7 |
| Big Chances | 2 | 6 |
| Pass Accuracy | 92% | 92% |
| Fouls | 6 | 7 |
| Corners | 9 | 6 |
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Real Madrid Player Ratings vs. Man City: Vintage Vinicius Jr Silences Etihad.
