NEW DELHI: Actual Madrid twice overcame deficits to defeat Manchester Metropolis 3-2 within the first leg of their extremely anticipated Champions League play-off match on Tuesday, with Jude Bellingham scoring the game-winning purpose in stoppage time. In the meantime, Paris Saint-Germain dominated an all-French match in opposition to Brest.
Erling Haaland’s double versus Madrid, his first objectives in 5 video games, appeared to have given Pep Guardiola’s group slightly lead, however the defending European champions are actually heavy favorites to advance to the spherical of 16 going into subsequent week’s return leg in Spain.
“It was a bizarre one. We performed a few of our greatest soccer of the season and ended up behind,” Bellingham advised Amazon Prime.
“I do not care what type Metropolis are in they’re nonetheless an unbelievable group. It is at all times difficult to play in opposition to them and we lastly took the possibility on the finish.”
Metropolis and Madrid have confronted off within the competitors’s knockout spherical for the fourth straight season; of their final three conferences, the victor has gone on to win the Champions League trophy.
After Josko Gvardiol chested down a cross from Jack Grealish, Haaland drove previous Thibaut Courtois to provide Metropolis the lead within the 19th minute, capping off a sluggish begin on the Etihad.
Haaland was denied a second purpose shortly after halftime when his deflected shot bounced in opposition to the wall, and Madrid’s Vinicius Junior struck the crossbar earlier than Metropolis defender Manuel Akanji adopted go well with with a header.
Dani Ceballos clipped the ball again into the realm the place Mbappe’s mishit effort looped into the online after going off his shin and leaving Ederson stranded, giving Madrid the equalizer an hour after the Metropolis wall repelled a free-kick.
After Ceballos clattered Phil Foden, Haaland tucked away a penalty to provide Metropolis the lead once more ten minutes from the top.
Nonetheless, after a horrible Ederson kick within the 86th minute, former Metropolis participant Brahim Diaz tied the rating for Madrid. Bellingham then punished the house group for extra doubtful defending when the England midfielder scored the game-winning purpose within the dying seconds.
“I do not know easy methods to put it into phrases right away, it is so uncooked and irritating for everybody,” stated Metropolis defender John Stones.
“It is a feeling of anger and frustration,” he added. “We have to see video games out higher. We have to step up when these unhealthy moments occur.”
Ousmane Dembele scored twice for PSG in a 3-Zero victory over Brest in France, persevering with his unbelievable goal-scoring run.
Following a VAR overview for a handball by Pierre Lees-Melou, a midfielder for Brest, Vitinha scored a penalty.
Brest got here very near tying the dominant Ligue 1 leaders twice whereas enjoying an hour away in Guingamp as a result of their very own stadium’s noncompliance with UEFA laws.
Whereas making an attempt to knock the ball behind for a nook, Achraf Hakimi grazed the opposite upright, and Abdallah Sima hammered a header in opposition to the submit.
After an excellent group play, Dembele swept previous Marco Bizot at his close to submit to attain PSG’s second purpose simply earlier than halftime.
Midway by means of the second half, the France worldwide scored once more with the assistance of a deflection, giving him 18 objectives in his final 11 video games.
“Ousmane is stuffed with confidence simply now. He was good in 2024 and he’s even higher in 2025,” stated PSG coach Luis Enrique.
Within the first leg of their match in Turin, Juventus defeated PSV Eindhoven 2-1 at residence.
Within the first half, US worldwide Weston McKennie gave Juventus the lead earlier than Ivan Perisic tied the rating for the Netherlands.
Within the 82nd minute, Samuel Mbangula scored a close-range purpose to provide Juventus the victory.
Borussia Dortmund defeated Sporting Lisbon 3-Zero on the highway, placing them on the verge of the spherical of 16.
On sixty minutes, Pascal Gross scored a second purpose for the runners-up from the earlier season, and Serhou Guirassy’s hovering header gave the German group the benefit.
Following Nuri Sahin’s dismissal on the finish of January, new coach Niko Kovac secured his first victory with a late third from Karim Adeyemi.
