Bellingham late show gives Real Madrid the edge
Jude Bellingham struck in stoppage time to give Real Madrid a 3-2 victory in its Champions League playoff against Manchester City.
The Premier League giant capitulated again in the Champions League as Real Madrid hit back to win 3-2 in the final seconds of their epic.
Jude Bellingham was Los Blancos' hero at the Etihad Stadium, as he ensured the holder will head into the second leg of this play-off tie with a slender advantage.
Erling Haaland's penalty in the 80th minute seemed set to get City over the line, with Kylian Mbappe having netted on the hour to cancel out the Norwegian's first-half opener.
Yet 15-time European champions Madrid, who are struggling with a defensive injury crisis, found a way. Brahim Diaz equalised against his former club, before Bellingham completed the turnaround.
Manchester City conceded 20 shots against Real Madrid tonight. That's the most any away team has had in a game at the Etihad in any competition since Pep Guardiola's arrival.
Haaland broke the deadlock in the 19th minute when Josko Gvardiol chested the ball down from Jack Grealish's exquisite chip, and City's number nine finished coolly on the volley. The goal was given after a four-minute VAR check for offside.
Vinicius hit the bar in response, while the woodwork denied Manuel Akanji as City searched for a second at the other end.
Mbappe made Madrid's fortune count when he sliced in an acrobatic finish that looped beyond Ederson into the right-hand corner, but Haaland made no mistake from the penalty spot to restore City's lead after a clumsy foul from Dani Ceballos on Phil Foden.
Yet a mistake by Ederson gifted Madrid another equaliser, with Diaz on hand to tap home on the rebound.
Los Blancos had the final say when Vinicius' lob fell for the stretching Bellingham to tuck in the winner.
![Jude Victor William Bellingham](https://prod-media.beinsports.com/image/3kq9cckrnlogidldtdie2fkbl.3840.png?ver=12-01-2025)