In a highly-anticipated clash between two of Europe’s heavyweights, Real Madrid hosted Manchester City in the first leg of their Round of 16 encounter in the UEFA Champions League. The match ended in Manchester City’s favor with a 2-1 scoreline, thanks to goals from Gabriel Jesus and Kevin de Bruyne. Here we take a look at the player ratings for both teams.
Real Madrid Player Ratings:
Thibaut Courtois – 7: The Belgian goalkeeper did well to keep the scoreline at 2-1, making some crucial saves, especially in the second half.
Dani Carvajal – 6: The right-back had a decent game but was caught out of position at times due to Manchester City’s attacking prowess.
Sergio Ramos – 6: The Real Madrid captain had a forgettable game, making some uncharacteristic errors, including a poorly-timed tackle that led to Manchester City’s penalty.
Raphael Varane – 6: The Frenchman had a tough time dealing with Manchester City’s attacking trio of Jesus, Sterling, and Mahrez.
Ferland Mendy – 6: The left-back had a poor game, with most of Manchester City’s attacks coming down his side of the pitch.
Casemiro – 7: The defensive midfielder did well to protect Real Madrid’s backline and also provided good support in attack.
Luka Modric – 6: The Croatian playmaker struggled to make an impact on the game and was subbed off in the second half.
Toni Kroos – 7: The German midfielder was one of Real Madrid’s standout performers, dictating the play from midfield and providing some excellent passes.
Isco – 6: The attacking midfielder had a quiet game and was substituted in the second half.
Karim Benzema – 7: The French striker was Real Madrid’s best player on the night, scoring their only goal and causing problems for Manchester City’s defense.
Vinicius Jr. – 8: The Brazilian teenager was Real Madrid’s brightest spot, causing problems for Manchester City’s defense with his pace and skill. He also provided the assist for Benzema’s goal.
Manchester City Player Ratings:
Ederson – 6: The Brazilian goalkeeper had a relatively quiet game, but his distribution was excellent.
Kyle Walker – 7: The right-back did well to contain Real Madrid’s attack and also provided some good crosses from the flank.
Fernandinho – 7: The Brazilian midfielder was solid in defense and broke up Real Madrid’s attacks effectively.
Aymeric Laporte – 7: The French defender had a good game, winning most of his duels and also providing support in attack.
Benjamin Mendy – 6: The left-back had a quiet game, but he provided an assist for Gabriel Jesus’ goal.
Rodri – 6: The Spanish midfielder did well to control the game from midfield, although he didn’t have many chances to create any clear-cut chances.
Kevin de Bruyne – 8: The Belgian playmaker was Manchester City’s standout performer, scoring their second goal from the penalty spot and also providing excellent crosses and through-balls throughout the game.
Bernardo Silva – 6: The Portuguese winger had a subdued game, and he was substituted in the second half.
Raheem Sterling – 7: The English winger was a constant threat down the flank, using his pace and dribbling skills to cause problems for Real Madrid’s defense.
Riyad Mahrez – 7: The Algerian winger was the creator-in-chief for Manchester City, providing some excellent passes and crosses.
Gabriel Jesus – 7: The Brazilian striker was Manchester City’s goalscorer, tapping in Mendy’s cross to give them the lead.
In conclusion, both teams had their share of good and bad performances, but Manchester City came out on top, courtesy of some excellent displays from De Bruyne, Jesus, and Sterling. However, Real Madrid can take heart from the bright performance of Vinicius Jr., who could be a key player for them in the future. The second leg promises to be an exciting encounter, with Real Madrid needing to step up their game if they are to progress to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.
