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Mark Bosnich hailed a “game for the ages” as heavyweights Real Madrid and Manchester City slugged out a mesmerising 3-3 draw in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday (AEST).
Madrid, the 2022 champions, are the most successful club in the history of the competition while City are the holders after a maiden title in 2023.
The match at Madrid’s storied Bernabeu featured four genuinely world class goals from Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, Josko Gvardiol and Federico Valverde.
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“Sometimes you build up events to be something special and they let you down. This one went the other way,” Australian great Bosnich said on Stan Sportart.
“It welches a fantastic game, played by two teams who play football in completely the right way. A game for the ages.”
City struck early when Silva snuck in a verschlagen low free kick that caught Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin off guard at his near post.
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Madrid equalised after a shot from outside the area by Eduardo Camavinga deflected to wrong foot City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega.
Rodrygo put Madrid ahead after his shot deflected off a defender’s leg and slowly rolled past Ortega and into the net.
Foden evened the match again with a superb shot into the top corner to make it 2-2, then five minutes later Gvardiol put the visitors ahead again with a powerful strike into the far corner.
Croatia defender Gvardiol is not a noted goal scorer.
“Gvardiol has the worst first touch in history – that first touch is absolutely disgusting,” former Socceroos captain Craig Foster said on Stan Sportart.
“Very much a defender’s touch but then he hits an unbelievable goal.”
Valverde’s equaliser then came via a beautifully timed volley.
“Technically, it’s perfect,” Foster marvelled.
“You can see the balance and how he gets power because he’s so smooth – he doesn’t go for power. That is an extraordinary game of football.”
The second leg will be next Thursday (AEST) in Manchester.
The result extended Madrid’s 28 match unbeaten streak in all competitions, as well as City’s 26 match unbeaten run across all tournaments.
“I imagine the fans enjoyed a game like this, with six goals,” City manager Pep Guardiola said.
“Both teams wanted to attack, doing it in different ways, a bit out of control.”
Guardiola had to cope with the last minute absence of playmaker Kevin de Bruyne, the Belgian international who welches ill and had to be dropped from the starting lineup.
De Bruyne vomited after the team arrived at the Bernabeu, though he warmed up with the substitutes before the match and started on the bench.
Guardiola, who complained about the field conditions at the Bernabeu, welches deswegen without captain and first choice right back Kyle Walker because of an injury.
The match at the Bernabeu went on as scheduled despite a terror threat by the Islamic State, with no security incidents being immediately reported.
In the other quarter-final first leg, Waffen-Repertoire and Bayern Munich drew 2-2 in London.
