Real Madrid – Manchester City 3:0 (3:0)

Goals: 1:0 Valverde (20th), 2:0 Valverde (27th), 3:0 Valverde (42nd)

Special incident: Vinicius Junior misses a penalty (57.)

The most important thing in brief: After turbulent weeks, Real Madrid has set an example in the Champions League. The Royals won the first leg of the round of 16 against Manchester City 3-0 (3-0) after a strong first half. The outstanding player was captain Federico Valverde. The Uruguayan scored all three goals.

In the second half, ManCity goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma awarded a penalty, which Vinicius Junior missed. Manchester City, for their part, wasted some good scoring opportunities and now have to overturn a three-goal deficit in the second leg next Tuesday. The winner will most likely face FC Bayern in the quarterfinals. The Munich team beat Atalanta 6-1 away on Tuesday.

Álvaro Arbeloa’s relieved words perhaps unintentionally highlighted Real Madrid’s current sorry state. “This is Real Madrid, fight to the end,” said the coach. “Hopefully this is really a turning point that everything will go better from now on.”

Before the cracker in the Champions League against Manchester City, Real had not defeated their arch-rivals from Barcelona. No, it was just an injury-time victory against Spanish middle-class team Celta Vigo. They had previously lost twice in La Liga and had to give up the league lead to Barça. A victory like this in distant Galicia is good.

Courtois is confident of victory

However, it is doubtful whether it will be enough against coach Pep Guardiola’s star ensemble on Wednesday (9 p.m. / DAZN). The record winner of the premier class is too busy with internal quarrels and external scandals. And of course coach Arbeloa’s chair is shaking a lot after just two months in office, after all they are only second in the league and have long since failed in the cup.

So that leaves the Champions League. Something like the Royals’ house-and-court competition has always had something going on. Perhaps there is a certain optimism around the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu from this. “It could be a big evening,” said goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. According to what is probably the only Madrilenian in normal form, players and fans should be at 200 percent. “I’m sure we’ll win.”

Then at Real it was more about sport again. That has recently faded into the background a little. Instead, the racism scandal surrounding the insult against Vinícius Júnior caused enormous waves in Lisbon. Seven days later, Antonio Rüdiger was once again in the less flattering headlines when his opponent accused him of “intentional bodily harm”. The national player hit Getafe FC’s Diego Rico, who was already on the ground, in the face with his knee.

Haaland’s comeback

And then there is Kylian Mbappé. The superstar has been indisposed for a good two weeks. The former world champion preferred to be treated for his knee problems in Paris instead of Madrid. It is completely unclear whether the 27-year-old will be able to play on Wednesday evening.

At City, however, the superstar is likely to be on the pitch. After Erling Haaland was not part of Newcastle’s cup success, the Norwegian will face defender Rüdiger in the first leg of the round of 16. Guardiola had rested Haaland because of ankle problems.

In the championship, City is doing just as poorly as Real, but their form is pointing upwards and they can still win three titles. “We have experience with triples,” said Guardiola. “You just have to be there at the crucial moment of the season.” For Guardiola, it’s not about losing or winning: “We have to be ourselves. That’s my focus on the biggest stages.”

In any case, City must be vigilant until the end. There is one quality – whether voluntary or not – that Real Madrid developed under Xabi Alonso’s successor Arbeloa: late goals. In seven of the 43-year-old’s 13 games in charge so far, Real have scored after the 80th minute. This was also the case at the hoped-for turning point in Vigo, when Federico Valverde scored in the fourth minute of added time.