Here is Haaland, who fell deep to pick up the ball and was thrown to the ground by Rüdiger. Here Rudiger, for some reason, slips his head into the bend of Harland’s elbow, effectively agreeing to a headlock, and grinning while doing a (possibly accidental) homage to Jack Nicholson in The Shining. There was a figure
Most judges would have split the match by the end. Haaland has unusually not scored this season and only actually saw a goal for seconds. But his presence will be central to creating space for City’s Kevin De Bruyne equalizer, making Guardiola’s side a narrow favourite, when play resumes in England next week. It will be a blow.
And that probably won’t offend either coach. Despite the philosophical differences, what struck me about this match was how much both teams recognized each other’s strengths and ability to deal damage. It means that it was warm. More than anything else, it may have been a lasting lesson from last season’s semi-final encounter. Madrid knew how good City were. City are aware that a team can do as well as they want and lose against Madrid.
Home territory Real has been so reluctant at times that it has tested the patience of its fans. After all, the Bernabeu is not used to its visitors having the rudeness to hold the ball for too long. There was a moment halfway through the first half when City’s passing started to insult the dignity of the crowd. What started as a whistle slowly but surely turned into a hoot.
But for Ancelotti, it was a price worth paying. Tactically and strategically, it made sense for Real to dig, sit back, wait and pick the moment. A few minutes later, his approach paid off. Eduardo Camavinga, playing the role of a hybrid fullback/midfielder that has become a necessity these days, found a gap and capitalized on it, finding Vinicius Junior with plenty of space and scoring past Ederson.
