Real Madrid: A Narrow Defeat Against Manchester City Shakes Confidence

In a thrilling encounter at the Santiago Bernabéu, Real Madrid fell to Manchester City 1-2, despite a promising start that had fans believing in a different outcome. The match began with high expectations for the visitors, but it was the home side that struck first. Just two minutes in, Vinícius Júnior found himself on the edge of the penalty area, going down under pressure. Initially awarded a penalty by referee Clément Turpin, VAR intervened, and the decision was overturned to a free-kick instead. Federico Valverde’s subsequent shot was deflected for a corner, signaling Madrid’s intent early on.

Rodrygo then capitalized on a swift counter-attack in the 28th minute to score his first official goal for Madrid in 281 days, putting them ahead 1-0. This goal seemed to reward an electric first half-hour from the Merengues. However, just seven minutes later, Manchester City equalized through Ors’Reilly, who seized on a rebound from Thibaut Courtois‘ parry (1-1, 35’). Despite protests from Xabi Alonso and Kylian Mbappé regarding a potential foul earlier in the play, Turpin allowed the goal to stand.

As the first half drew to a close, City’s Erling Haaland was awarded a penalty after being fouled by Antonio Rüdiger in the box. The Norwegian converted confidently just before halftime (1-2, 43′), leaving Madrid trailing despite their spirited performance. At halftime, though City had not dominated possession, they led on the scoreboard.

The second half saw Real Madrid struggling to regain control as City dictated play. Their only real threat came from Jeremy Doku, whose shot was saved by Courtois in the 62nd minute. Madrid sought to exploit transitions through Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham but struggled to create clear-cut chances. Vinícius came close with a header that sailed over the bar in the 77th minute, while Endrick‘s effort hit the crossbar shortly after.

Ultimately, Real Madrid succumbed to their second consecutive home defeat, raising questions about their current trajectory under Alonso’s management. With performances needing improvement and results not matching expectations, the pressure mounts on the coaching staff as they look ahead to future fixtures.

Could this defeat signal deeper issues within the squad? As they prepare for upcoming matches, fans will be eager to see how Real Madrid responds to adversity.