Chapter 107: A game of tight margins
During the first half, Real Madrid came out with the intentions of making a statement victory and blowing their opponents out of the water.
After Barcelona’s grueling draw against Paris Saint Germain, they wanted to make a show of intent that they were superior and Manchester City was supposed to be their stepping stone, but the English club said... not tonight.
Real Madrid came to blow them away, but Manchester City also came to the Santiago Bernabeu again to make a statement.
This season, most of the media frenzy was on the intense rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona. The media focused so much on them that automatically, other clubs began to be overlooked.
This season, Manchester City had their resurgence as Pep Guardiola’s machine began churning again with Erling Haaland scoring goals for fun.
But due to Barcelona’s persistent threat, Real Madrid underestimated Man City’s grit, but after that first half, they forced respect on their opponents.
No Madrid player saw the game as an easy win any longer.
They finally saw it for what it truly was... a game of tight margins.
During halftime, Xabi Alonso had a deeply tactical talk with his players as giving up on brute force, he discussed ways to methodically break the tenacious English club down while also locking out their star attacking players.
By the end of Xabi Alonso’s tactical talk, the players felt fired up again.
The Bernabéu roared as the players emerged again out of the tunnel. There were no substitutions, no hesitation either. All that lingered was fire in the eyes of twenty two gladiators on the pitch.
The scoreboard burned.
[Real Madid 2–2 Manchester City]
FWEEE!
The referee’s whistle sounded.
"And we begin the second half!" The commentator bellowed.
The game barely started when in the 47th minute, Manchester City nearly stunned the Santiago Bernabeu into silence.
Reijnders slipped a through ball so delicate it split Huijsen and Rüdiger open like a hot knife through butter. Haaland charged, sensing weakness as the predator within him was unleashed.
As soon as he moved, Courtois also moved as the towering Belgian reacted.
Thibaut Courtois sprinted forward, arms wide, and somehow managed to block the thunderous shot from Haaland with his outstretched shin.
The stadium exhaled in relief.
Rüdiger screamed at the sky, veins bulging as he quickly ran to pat his goalkeeper on the head in gratitude.
"NO MÁS ERRORES!" He screamed.
The game progressed after that, tight, cautious, and more tactical than the first half was.
Then, in the 50th minute, Real Madrid exploded as Kylian Mbappé collected deep and flicked past Rodri, before turning on the jets.
Ruben Dias chased desperately, but he was never catching up as the Frenchman burst into the box with electric pace, and shot low across goal, but Ederson’s fingertips pushed it wide.
Both goalkeepers were at the top of their game tonight.
Vinícius raised his arms, screaming at the Frenchman for not passing to him. Mbappé shook his head, frustrated.
Despite the exchange between the two superstar forwards, the Bernabéu still roared their approval, this was because they could smell blood.
For the next few minutes, it was a tactical arm-wrestle as both teams pressed high, turning every duel into a war.
In midfield, it was Bellingham vs Rodri as both elite midfielders clashed, pitting elegance against granite.
On another side, it was Valverde vs Foden, a battle of lungs against silk. In
Real Madrid’s defense, it was Rüdiger vs Haaland, a thrilling battle of brute strength against brute strength as Rudiger locked out the towering Norwegian in the 2nd half after his goal in the first.
It was football, but it looked like a game of chess played with knives as Pep Guardiola finally made a change, bringing on Bernardo Silva for Marmoush.
In the 60th minute, just as Bernardo Silva entered the game, the Portuguese veteran ghosted between lines, curling a pass to Jeremy Doku on the left who immediately cut inside, and struck low.
BAM!
But Courtois parried again.
In the 62nd minute, Rodrygo slipped Vinícius through, but his shot was blocked heroically by Walker’s sliding tackle.
Just like the first half, it was just chances, chances, and more chances as the game progressed.
In the 68th minute, Tijjani Reijnders swung in a corner and Ruben Dias rose highest to connect to it, but his powerful header came off the bar!
In the 71st minute, Mbappé combined with Vinícius, their one-two splitting City’s defense with brutal efficiency. Mbappé curled with his right foot, but again Ederson at full stretch denied him with a miraculous fingertip.
The Frenchman cursed.
The crowd gasped.
It was still 2–2.
And then, the finally stretch of the game.
In the 75th minute, Guardiola rolled the dice again as he brought on Savinho for Jeremy Doku, introducing fresh legs to harry Madrid’s defense.
Xabi Alonso answered by bringing on Camavinga for Güler, steel for silk.
Despite the changes, the tempo of the game refused to drop.
In the 79th minute, Savinho nearly made instant impact, volleying just over after Haaland’s chest down to set him up.
The Brazilian winger grasped his head and cursed in disbelief.
In the 82nd minute, Valverde unleashed one of his famous rockets from 30 yards, whistling inches past the post as the collective of Man City supporters heaved a sigh of relief even as the Bernabéu groaned in unison.
By the 85th minute, City pressed like wolves as they boldly chased the winner. Foden curled a pass to Haaland, who chested it down, then... volley!
BAM!
But again, the f*cker at goal denied him yet again.
"COURTOIS KEEPS MADRID ALIVE!" The commentator screamed, his voice dripping with raw excitement from the passion of the game..
The final push came in the 90th minute.
By now, the stadium was deafening with throats raw and bodies shaking.
Mbappé received the ball and fearlessly drove at Gvardiol. He slipped inside and squared to Vinícius, but the Brazilian’s shot was blocked by Dias!
City counterattacked immediately as they surged forward, Reijnders to Foden, then Foden to Haaland, but Rüdiger’s last-ditch tackle saved Madrid.
It was end-to-end madness.
The fourth official lifted the board, indicating +3 minutes of additional time.
In the 93rd minute, Real Madrid got their last corner. Alexander-Arnold whipped it in, triggering chaos in the box, but Ederson punched clear... and the referee’s whistle finally pierced through the storm.
FWEEEE!
[FULLTIME: REAL MADRID 2 – 2 MANCHESTER CITY]
Madrid fans were slightly disappointed at the result but the Bernabéu erupted in applause, not for the draw, but for the sheer spectacle.
Players collapsed onto the turf, exhausted and totally spent.
Courtois hugged Rüdiger, both drenched in sweat. Tijanni Reijnders and Bellingham exchanged weary smiles at each other.
Haaland ripped off his shirt, tossing it into the away end, while Vinícius crouched with hands on knees, before rising to clap to the fans.
Mbappé raised a fist to the stands in acknowledgement of the home support, with sweat dripping down his face, but defiance burning in his eyes still.
The commentator’s voice broke with emotion.
"WHAT A GAME!"
"WHAT A TITANIC CLASH WE JUST WITNESSED0!"
"This is football in its purest form. Madrid and City, unyielding, unbreakable, a night the bernabéu will never forget!"
UEFA’s panel announced the Man of the Match minutes later.
[MOTM: Tijjani Reijnders]
The goalkeeper got one goal, and accompanied it with a masterclass. He never wilted in the chaos of the Bernabeu.
Tonight, Madrid had held City. They had matched Madrid, and neither side conquered. But the message was clear.
This season, the Champions League had Behemoths at the top of their game.
To win, first, giants would have to survive.