Real Madrid seek double over City in Champions League play-off 2nd leg

 Following the latest captivating Champions League clash between Real Madrid and Man­chester City, it is advantage Los Blancos heading into today’s playoff second leg at the Bernabeu.

Despite falling behind twice at the Etihad last week, the holders showcased their per­petual Cham­pions League mettle to somehow return to the Spanish capital with a 3-2 win to their name.

Mak­ing light of Real Madrid’s furious Ballon d’Or snub when Los Blan­cos learned that Rodri would pip Vinicius Junior to the top prize, Man City fans unfurled a banner of their Spanish metronome kiss­ing the accolade with the tagline “Stop crying your heart out” an ode to Citizens-crazed Oasis last week.

However, the home faithful may have instead been reduced to tears at the end of the first leg, where none other than Vinicius lifted the ball over an onrushing Ederson and witnessed Jude Bell­ingham settle a five-goal spectac­ular from close range, the latest engrossing European turnaround from the men in white.

Now just 90 minutes away from a customary place in the last 16 where either Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen will be waiting, Real Madrid may find safe haven in the Champions League, having now failed to come up trumps in any of their last three matches in the Spanish top division.

While Real Madrid have progressed from 37 of their 39 European knockout ties when prevailing in the first leg, City are yet to take a leaf out of their hosts’ comeback book, having been eliminated on each of their four previous occasions when losing the opening battle.

The odds may be stacked against Pep Guardiola’s Man City, but the stuttering English champi­ons at least enjoyed a near-perfect warm-up for a daunting trip to the Bernabeu, hitting Newcastle United for four without reply in Saturday’s Premier League pum­melling.

Bagging his 48th and 49th Champions League goals in the opening encounter, Haaland will write two chapters of UCL history with a 50th today, which would see him become both the youngest and quickest player to hit a half-century of strikes in the competition.—SportsMole