Bellingham Breaks City Hearts in Champions League Thriller

Late drama, stunning goals, and a stoppage-time winner—Manchester City and Real Madrid delivered a Champions League classic at the Etihad.

February 12, 2025
12:03 am

Jude Bellingham pulled off another magic moment, scoring in the 92nd minute to give Real Madrid a thrilling 3-2 win over Manchester City in a wild UEFA Champions League knockout match. This was Los Blancos’ first-ever victory at the Etihad in regular time, as they came back twice in a heavyweight clash that had everything fans could wish for.

City fans, eager to rattle their famous rivals, displayed a cheeky pre-match banner—“Stop crying your heart out”—aimed at Vinícius Júnior and Real Madrid. But the Brazilian, often the villain in these dramatic games, was right in the mix early on. A controversial offside call denied him a penalty, but he sliced through City’s defense with a brilliant pass to Kylian Mbappé, whose shot was saved by Ederson. The hosts were living on the edge—Nathan Aké had to make a goal-saving challenge on Ferland Mendy as Madrid showed their attacking spirit.

After surviving that scare, City struck first, thanks to their goal machine. Joško Gvardiol’s clever chest control set up Erling Haaland, who scored his first-ever goal against Madrid, sending the Etihad into a frenzy. But Pep Guardiola’s joy was short-lived as Jack Grealish, lively at the start, limped off with an injury before the half-hour mark.

Don’t miss out – click below for the best odds and exclusive bonuses!

The game was a rollercoaster, swinging back and forth with thrilling intensity. Vinícius hit the bar, Phil Foden tested Thibaut Courtois, and Manuel Akanji’s flicked header hit the woodwork. At the other end, Federico Valverde came close, but Mbappé missed a golden chance to equalize before halftime.

Guardiola’s plans took another hit when Akanji, struggling, was subbed off at halftime. But City kept pushing, with Haaland’s deflected shot hitting the crossbar. Madrid answered back—Vinícius zipped past substitute Rico Lewis and set up Bellingham, who just missed with a diving header. The tension grew as Ederson denied Mbappé, and a last-minute challenge from Gvardiol kept the Frenchman at bay.

The breakthrough came just after the hour mark. Dani Ceballos’ lofted pass found Mbappé, whose mishit shot fooled Ederson and leveled the score. But the drama didn’t stop there. Just minutes later, Ceballos went from hero to zero, giving away a penalty for a clumsy foul on Foden. Haaland stepped up and coolly scored, putting City back in the lead.

Madrid, however, wouldn’t back down. Brahim Díaz, just two minutes on the pitch, pounced on a rebound from Ederson’s save to score against his old club and tie it up again. With extra time looming, Madrid struck the final blow. Vinícius, ever the troublemaker, charged forward, taking advantage of a moment of hesitation from City before setting up Bellingham. The England star made no mistake, slotting it home to seal an incredible win and put Madrid in a strong position for the return leg at the Bernabéu.

For City, this loss adds to their troubling European record—just one win in their last six Champions League matches. But with the tie still alive, Guardiola’s squad needs to step up in Madrid, or they might see their title defense slip away in familiar heartbreak.