Manchester Metropolis got here from behind to beat Actual Madrid and report a massively necessary victory on the Bernabeu within the UEFA Champions League.
Long run Metropolis goal Rodrygo gave Los Blancos the lead within the first half, however Nico O’Reilly leveled a couple of minutes later along with his first objective within the Champions League.
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Antonio Rudiger hauled Erling Haaland to the ground for a Metropolis penalty, and the Norwegian striker despatched goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois the mistaken option to give the Blues the lead, which they held onto within the second half.
Listed here are three issues we realized as Metropolis recorded a well-known win in Madrid:
Doku is a giant sport participant
There have been loads of good performances on Wednesday night time, however no-one appeared extra harmful than Jeremy Doku.
The Belgian winger has had an unbelievable step up over the summer time and now appears to be like like a unique participant to the frustratingly uncooked expertise we noticed in his first two seasons on the membership.
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He’s making higher choices and has improved his finish product, while sustaining his outstanding dribbling and different worldly acceleration.
I used to be his greatest critic a couple of months in the past however I’m so impressed with how a lot he’s developed, and this yr, he’s been arguably the most effective winger within the league, if not the world.
Nico can play additional ahead when Rodri is again
The Blues are lacking Rodri, little question about it, however Nico Gonzalez is making an enormous declare to proceed beginning as quickly because the 2024 Ballon D’Or winner returns to full health.
Rodri tore his ACL in September 2024 and remains to be combating muscle accidents off the again of that, so Nico has been required to play each sport.
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At his final membership Porto, Nico performed as an eight pretty usually, and he’s actually now comfy sufficient receiving the ball in tight areas to play there.
Twice, he flicked the ball flamboyantly across the nook efficiently to a teammate and he has improved each his means and confidence on the ball.
When Rodri is again and in a position to play 90 minutes a number of occasions every week once more, I wouldn’t prefer to see Nico’s gametime undergo, so the plain answer appears to be to start out him barely forward of his Spanish compatriot.
The indicators of progress at Metropolis are superb
This time final yr, Metropolis have been proper in the midst of their terrible run of kind, the place they gained only one out of 13 video games in all competitions.
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Quick ahead to now and Metropolis have admittedly spent a lot of cash, however have recouped a good quantity in transfers and from their wage invoice.
The likes of Haaland, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva have returned to kind and Metropolis are wanting good, with this being their first massive win in opposition to considered one of Europe’s finest groups.
Sure, Madrid had accidents and Xabi Alonso is a person beneath stress, however the Blues are one other degree up from final season.