Real Madrid 1-2 Manchester City: Post-match review, Stats, Key moments

Dive into Coral’s post-match review of Real Madrid 1-2 Manchester City in the Champions League on Wednesday, 10 December 2025, with stats, key moments and our take on the match.

Manchester City won 2-1 against Real Madrid in a lively encounter. Real Madrid took the lead in the 28th minute when Rodrygo slotted home, assisted by Jude Bellingham, building on their recent wins like the 5-0 thrashing of Kairat. But Manchester City, coming off a mixed bag with a loss to Bayer 04 Leverkusen but wins over Borussia Dortmund and Villarreal, fought back quickly with Nico O’Reilly equalising in the 35th minute, assisted by Josko Gvardiol.

The turning point came just before half-time when Erling Haaland converted a penalty in the 43rd minute after a VAR check, giving City the edge. Real Madrid pushed hard in the second half with substitutions like Arda Güler coming on for Gonzalo García in the 58th minute, but they couldn’t find another goal despite some late pressure. This loss follows Real Madrid’s recent defeat to Liverpool, while City’s win boosts their form after that draw with Monaco.

The game was evenly matched in possession, with Real Madrid edging it at 52% to Manchester City’s 48%, showing neither side truly dominated the ball. Both teams had three corners each, but Manchester City looked sharper in attack with more successful dribbles at 62 compared to Real Madrid’s 44, suggesting they were better at beating defenders. Cards were level too, with three yellows apiece, including some late bookings that added tension without any reds.

Manchester City made four substitutions, like Omar Marmoush replacing Erling Haaland in the 70th minute and Savinho coming on for Rayan Cherki a minute later, which helped them manage the game. Real Madrid used three, such as Brahim Díaz replacing Dani Ceballos in the 67th minute, and they recorded one assist overall, while City scored from a penalty but had none. No injury-time goals shifted the result, keeping it a straightforward battle decided before the break.

The match swung on a few big moments, starting with Real Madrid’s opener when Rodrygo scored in the 28th minute after Jude Bellingham set him up nicely. Manchester City responded well, with Nico O’Reilly levelling things up in the 35th minute thanks to Josko Gvardiol’s assist, and then Erling Haaland put them ahead from the penalty spot in the 43rd minute following a VAR review. Yellow cards flew in, like Antonio Rüdiger’s for Real Madrid just before the break and later ones for Rodrygo and Álvaro Carreras, while City’s Phil Foden got booked early on.

Substitutions tried to change the flow, with Real Madrid bringing on Arda Güler for Gonzalo García around the hour mark and Endrick replacing Raúl Asencio late on, but it wasn’t enough. City made changes too, like Tijjani Reijnders coming on for Phil Foden in the 70th minute, and they picked up bookings for Nico O’Reilly and even manager Pep Guardiola twice. A VAR check early for Vinicius Junior and Bernardo Silva’s late yellow added to the drama without altering the scoreline.

Real Madrid lined up in a 4-4-2 formation, with Rodrygo leading the attack alongside the likes of Vinicius Junior, and Jude Bellingham pulling strings in midfield to create chances. Antonio Rüdiger anchored the defence, but they struggled to contain City’s threats. Partnerships like Bellingham assisting Rodrygo stood out in key moments.

Manchester City set up in a 4-3-3, with Erling Haaland as the focal point up front, supported by Phil Foden and Jérémy Doku on the wings for width and pace. Josko Gvardiol contributed from the back with an assist for Nico O’Reilly, while Bernardo Silva added control in midfield. Their shape allowed for effective dribbles and quick counters.

Coral’s Man of the Match goes to Rodrygo, who shone for Real Madrid with his goal in the 28th minute and plenty of creativity. He created two big chances and delivered five key passes, constantly threatening City’s defence. Even with a late yellow card, his energy and involvement made him the standout performer in a tough loss.

Recent Champions League matches:

• Loss: 1-2 vs Manchester City (H)
• Win: 4-3 vs Olympiacos F.C. (A)
• Loss: 0-1 vs Liverpool (A)
• Win: 1-0 vs Juventus (H)
• Win: 5-0 vs Kairat (A)

Recent Champions League matches:

• Win: 2-1 vs Real Madrid (A)
• Loss: 0-2 vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen (H)
• Win: 4-1 vs Borussia Dortmund (H)
• Win: 2-0 vs Villarreal (A)
• Draw: 2-2 vs Monaco (A)

Real Madrid have just lost 1-2 at home to Manchester City, leaving them in 7th place on 12 points after a patchy run that includes a win over Olympiacos F.C. but defeats to Liverpool and now City. They’ll look to bounce back in their next match against Deportivo Alavés on 2025-12-14 at 20:00, where picking up points could help them climb towards the European spots. With recent big wins like against Juventus and Kairat, they’ve got the quality to turn things around if they sharpen up.

Manchester City have just won 2-1 away at Real Madrid, boosting them to 4th place on 13 points following a solid spell with victories over Borussia Dortmund and Villarreal, despite that loss to Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Their next fixture is against Crystal Palace on 2025-12-14 at 14:00, a chance to keep the momentum and push for the top spots. After drawing with Monaco recently, three points here would solidify their strong position in the table.

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