By Jack Gaughan
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It took some time to come down from Tuesday night. To actually remember the details of one of those nights inside the house of European football grandly hosting this era’s continental Clasico.
One of those that really requires a cerveza or three down a Madrid back street for a debrief. That yes, Vinicius Junior had dropped off the front to set Rodrygo away and who played that clever little ball for Phil Foden? John Stones, of course, how could you forget? Quite easily in the circumstances, actually. Blink and you miss it sort of stuff.
To remember the drama, the chaos. The Real Madrid bench howling as one at the French fourth official Pierre Gaillouste for the referee’s timekeeping; the three screamers; the screeching whistles each time Manchester City had the temerity to hold the ball. How the closed roof retained all of this energy and contributed to the inferno. Pep Guardiola either on his haunches or frantically celebrating outside of his technical area.
Oh, and Kevin De Bruyne spending the hour before kick-off with his head over a toilet, team selection drama that would ordinarily make headlines but ended up as a mere footnote. De Bruyne’s luck in the Champions League is unparalleled in a way that makes you wonder if he’s run over somebody’s cat in Nyon. Rodri out on his feet then suddenly a fulcrum from nowhere; Aurelien Tchouameni‘s impulsive and reckless yellow card for poleaxing Jack Grealish within seconds, which rules him out of next week’s second leg.
And the tussle between Antonio Rudiger and Erling Haaland. Again, an after-thought when column inches could have justifiably bulged with that alone.
There was drama and chaos as European champions Manchester City drew with Real Madrid
Carlo Ancelotti (left) and Pep Guardiola (right) were in fine form on the touchline as they led their respective sides
There were a number of tussles between world class stars that caught the eye at the Bernabeu
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The Bernabeu was the scene of an all-timer in a competition – when it reaches these stages – that is just like no other in the world of sport. The Ryder Cup runs it close on a good year but nothing else provides this sort of fuss on tap.
Real Madrid 3-3 Manchester City was good. And Arsenal 2-2 Bayern Munich wasn’t too bad either, both occasions that had thousands on their couches whizzing between TV channels, missing goals and talking points while over on the other side and refusing to pick just one game.
Did Bukayo Saka throw his leg into Manuel Neuer? Why’s Gabriel picked that up? Incredible that a fairly beleaguered Bayern could go to England’s in-form team and get a result like that and doing so with a Harry Kane penalty, there of all places, just added that little extra gravy.
But this is what Bayern do. It’s what Real have always done, what City seem to be learning and what Arsenal are striving toward. Mikel Arteta has some catching up to do, the others have been perfecting this over years – in Real and Bayern’s case, decades – but that remains the beauty of the Champions League.
There are, despite the financial might and institutional dominance of a chosen few, those who look like muscling in. Whether you are pro or anti City, there is no doubt that they – and Chelsea before them – have upset the natural order and that, when stripped back to men running around a pitch, is good for football.
Real and City now have their history. When they meet, the 22 out there paint. The artistry of this fixture is unmatched now and an innocent acceptance of these classics is that both managers, Guardiola and perennial winner Carlo Ancelotti, just shrug and accept that the other guy is bloody good at his job.
‘We were in a good position and (Federico) Valverde did that,’ Guardiola said of Real’s late equaliser afterwards. ‘What can you do about it? Give a round of applause and accept it. The feeling I have with Real Madrid is it doesn’t matter how good you play, they will always score a goal.’
Valverde himself talked about legs and oxygen, and all the basics. There has been a brief respite from the incessant dissection of tactical styles that has engulfed the Premier League out here in Spain, where it has just been acknowledged that both teams are stacked with amazing world-class stars, both happy with their alternate philosophies.
It’s been an attitude of just get on with the game because we all know that Real play vertically, we know City are more horizontal. Watching the fire and brimstone across four ties over the last five years is an ultimate pleasure.
Arsenal and Bayern Munich also played out an entertaining draw in London on Tuesday night
Guardiola admitted there was little City could do about the effort of Federico Valverde (right)
Ultimately, the Champions League remains football’s greatest competition and gives a feeling of witnessing history every year
Do they play each other too much? That is an argument against the expanded Champions League, a move to freshen up the tired group stage but owning its own flaws.
Too much of the good stuff. There is undoubtedly merit to that, and one of the main reasons why the idea of a Super League should always be fought with everything. But when they arrive in the Spring, well that’s a different matter altogether.
Real facing City – and maybe Bayern meeting Arsenal in the future – is one that shines bright in the calendar. It’s a treat for the eyes. It’s unpredictable, unlawful at times, unshackled quality in a way we are just not guaranteed in the Premier League.
Football’s greatest competition gives you that feeling of witnessing history once the last eight comes round. It brought to mind a perfectly phrased question, put to Rodri, on Monday evening, 24 hours before the first leg, which began with: ‘Real are the Kings of Europe, but you have the crown.’
So true and put in that context, the hoopla makes it the greatest show on Earth.
Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd
Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group
