Manchester City exited the Champions League on a night of drama as Real Madrid completed an aggregate victory against the 10-men of City
06:00, 18 Mar 2026
Manchester City and Real Madrid played out a fraught Champions League last-16 tie which ended with the Spaniards progressing to the quarter-finals.
City were staring down the barrel having lost the first leg 3-0 in Spain but flew out of the traps only for Madrid to be handed the initiative when Bernardo Silva was sent off for a handball on the line after a lengthy VAR check. Vinicius Junior converted from the spot and City trailed by four.
Erling Haaland levelled for the Blues with a scruffy finish shortly before half time but the game was beyond the hosts. Here's the moments you might have missed from the Etihad.
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What angered Pep
Guardiola is in the middle of a two-game domestic suspension after collecting six yellow cards this season. So it was perhaps no surprise to see him collect another caution against Real given the frantic and controversial nature of the first half.
With City a man down and a goal down, Rayan Ait-Nouri was bodychecked on the edge of the box but referee Clement Turpin waved away the appeals.
Guardiola looked stunned in his technical area and approached fourth official Willy Delajod, laying his hands on the Frenchman's shoulders to exchange words. While the Blues boss was calm enough and certainly not as aggressive as he appeared at Newcastle last month, it was enough to pick up a booking.
Silva fall out
As soon as referee Turpin walked over to the screen you knew what was coming. Bernardo threw up his arms in disbelief and exasperation and made his way off the pitch. He collected a consoling hug from Haaland and a pat on the head from substitute Phil Foden as he made his way down the tunnel. Plenty of home fans applauded their skipper as he left the pitch for potentially the last time as a City player in the Champions League.
Guardiola looked resigned on the sidelines as the referee brandished the red card. Gianluigi Donnarumma and Ruben Dias were the most animated in blue and City's mountain to climb got steeper as Vinicius Jr converted from the spot.
Bubbling animosity
Unsurprisingly tensions were running high during a frantic and fiery first half. Dias chopped down his man to earn a telling off from the referee while the City defender was then imploring the assistant referee to keep a closer eye on the game after Abdukodir Khusanov was booked for catching Vinicius Jr in a collision which the Brazilian definitely made the most of. At one stage Donnarumma, never shy to get involved, was seen frogmarching former City man Brahim Diaz, away from the ball in what was a significant height mismatch.
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Haaland reaction
The City striker was taken off just before the hour after a night in which he scored and had several other half chances. The striker does not quite look himself and with the tie moving beyond City and a Carabao Cup final to think about, Guardiola opted to replace his star man. As he left the pitch, striker and manager exchanged a hug and the Norwegian then high fived staff and squad members before taking his seat, puffing out his cheeks and wiping sweat from his brow.
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