Manager Pep Guardiola praised Manchester City’s ability to “adapt quickly to chaos” in their 3-3 first-leg draw against Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Holders City took took the lead in the second minute when Bernardo Silva cleverly snuck a 25-yard free-kick round the wall and past goalkeeper Andriy Lunin.
But deflected strikes from Eduardo Camavinga and Rodrygo helped 14-time European champions Real overturn the deficit at the Bernabeu.
“We were 2-1 down, playing here without much composure,” Guardiola said.
“This game, in the first three seasons together, we’d have lost 4-1 or 5-1 as we were not stable emotionally.”
City, who won this competition for the first time last season as part of a historic Treble, came into this game with Kevin de Bruyne on the bench after the Belgium midfielder fell ill before kick-off.
City had lacked quality in the final third until Phil Foden, who had been on the periphery of the game, found space just outside the area to turn and fire into the top corner to pull City level.
Moments later left-back Josko Gvardiol cut in and found the far corner with a superb right-foot shot to score his first goal since joining City from RB Leipzig in the summer.
However, Madrid equalised with a stunning volley from Federico Valverde to set up an intriguing second leg on Wednesday, 17 April at Etihad Stadium, where City beat Madrid 4-0 in last season’s semi-finals. (BBC)
