Real Madrid Stun Manchester City in Champions League Thriller
Heartbreaking Draw Leaves City's Hopes Hanging in the Balance
Second Leg Set to be a Blockbuster as Tie Remains Intact
Manchester City's quest for Champions League glory suffered a major setback on Wednesday as they were held to a 3-3 draw by Real Madrid at the Bernabéu Stadium. Despite taking an early lead, the English champions were pegged back by a resilient Real Madrid side that never gave up.
Erling Haaland opened the scoring for Manchester City in the 33rd minute, tapping in a rebound after Riyad Mahrez's shot had come back off the post. However, Manchester City's lead lasted just seven minutes as Karim Benzema leveled the scores with a stunning header.
The match exploded into life in the second half as both teams traded goals at a breathtaking pace. Phil Foden put Manchester City back in the lead with a beautiful strike from the edge of the box, but Real Madrid hit back almost instantly through Vinicius Jr., who finished off a brilliant team move.
With the match heading into the final minutes, Manchester City thought they had won it when Bernardo Silva scored in the 74th minute. However, Real Madrid again refused to lie down and forced an equalizer through substitute Rodrygo in the 90th minute.
The draw leaves the tie finely poised ahead of the second leg at the Etihad Stadium next Wednesday. Real Madrid will take heart from their stunning comeback, while Manchester City will be disappointed not to have taken a more commanding lead into the home fixture.
The second leg promises to be a thrilling encounter as both teams seek to book their place in the semi-finals. With so much still to play for, the outcome is sure to be in the balance until the very end.
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