With four minutes left to play, it looked as though Manchester City were about to seal a famous victory.
This side, led by the great Pep Guardiola, have achieved all there is to achieve but defeating Real Madrid over two legs no less, would have been one of their best accomplishments to date.
However, the Champions League is Madrid’s baby. No side has won it more times. Simply, they are inevitable.
City ended up feeling the full force of that on Tuesday evening. An Erling Haaland brace had put the Citizens 2-1 up either side of a Kylian Mbappe goal but there would be no celebrations for Guardiola and Co come full time.
The Etihad side have been so staunch in recent years and would never have blown such a precious lead in years gone by. Though, this is not any ordinary Guardiola team. For the first time in his managerial career, he is running out of answers.
Former City employee Brahim Diaz made it 2-2 in the 86th minute and what happened afterwards all felt rather inevitable.
City made a crucial mistake. Mateo Kovacic’s errant back pass found Vini Jr – the man who City fans gleefully took the Micky out of pre-game – who then chipped Ederson. Jude Bellingham beat England colleague John Stones to a foot race and fired into an empty net.
The Etihad was stunned. The visitors couldn’t believe their luck. That man Jude was on hand to score yet another huge goal. He is the man for the big occasion.
Jude Bellingham’s heroic performance against Manchester City
Cast your mind back to the European Championships. England are on the verge of a last-16 exit at the hands of Slovakia until Bellingham comes along with his swagger and superiority.
Marc Guehi’s flick-on from a throw-in found the former Borussia Dortmund man who acrobatically fired past the ‘keeper. England sent the game to extra time. They later won.
Let us also cast our minds back to Madrid’s LaLiga clash with Valencia earlier this term. Los Blancos were on the verge of losing until that man Jude won the game in the dying embers.
If you need a late goal, he’s certainly your man. Bellingham is, of course, no stranger to English shores and gave British audiences a timely reminder of his mesmeric capabilities this week.
His goal, although simple, was classic Bellingham, advancing beyond the last line and breaking into the penalty area. His display, though, was more than just that precious strike.
His numbers were fantastic, completing all three of his dribbles, all three of his long balls and registering two key passes. Also making three tackles and registering three shots, this was a cracking all-round display.
Perhaps Madrid’s main man last term, he is somewhat in the shadow of Mbappe now but he won’t care one bit should Carlo Ancelotti’s men retain their continental crown.
Still, the 21-year-old isn’t valued quite as highly as one Manchester City star.
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Manchester City’s best player against Madrid
This was a night for the world’s best players. Bellingham scored, as did Mbappe. Vini Jr played a vital role in the game-clinching moment and his Ballon d’Or rival and ultimately the winner of the award, Rodri, was back in the stands.
But while the Spaniard was forced to sit and admire proceedings, Haaland did not.
Minutes played
90
Goals
2
Expected goals (xG)
1.21
Shots on target
2
Shots off target
1
Touches
25
Accurate passes
8/11 (73%)
Ground duels won
2/6
Aerial duels won
1/1
Tackles
1
The Norwegian has scored 27 goals in 34 games this term and yet it still feels like he’s underwhelmed. That feels like a staggering thing to say but considering City’s form, it’s hardly a surprise he’s gone under the radar.
Yet, after a rough few weeks, including that 5-1 defeat to Arsenal where he scored but registered just ten touches and completed two passes, he was far more involved on this occasion.
It was the former Dortmund powerhouse who opened the scoring, latching onto Josko Gvardiol’s smart knockdown in the penalty area before firing past Thibaut Courtois on his return to England.
His second was a penalty and rather more straightforward but it was a reminder that he is still one of the greatest players in our game and should be hailed as such. To win a Ballon d’Or, the award commands Haaland to develop a more well-rounded style but there is no denying that City haven’t struck gold by signing him.
Acquired in the summer of 2022, the 24-year-old was signed for £51.2m. Such has been his devastating form since that he’s now worth a staggering £166m according to Transfermarkt.
To put those numbers into context, it makes him not only the most valuable player in the Premier League but also in Europe’s top five leagues, even ahead of Bellingham.
In contrast, the young England international is worth £150m according to the same source which caps off a wonderful rise to stardom.
Bellingham’s last-gasp goal may have stolen the show on Tuesday night and for all of his confidence and pizazz, it is still the goalscoring cyborg of Haaland that reigns supreme for market value.
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2 ByJoe NuttallFeb 12, 2025