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Manchester City came from behind to beat Real Madrid in the Bernabeu in a result that could look huge at the end of this season.
The stadium announcer at the Bernabeu read out the list of Manchester City's starting XI before kick-off but saved his final flourish for the head coach. Not many grounds offer up the name of a manager to supporters, but then not many places dislike a boss as much as the locals in Madrid dislike Pep Guardiola.
His name was greeted by a cacophony of boos. His Catalan past will never be forgotten in the Spanish capital, no matter how many times he returns. Seeing Guardiola on the Bernabeu touchline is as regular as Christmas now. This is the fifth consecutive season City have played here.
This contest might have only been a league phase fixture, but for Guardiola, it had wider importance. Defeat here in February signalled the end of an era for his four-in-a-row title winners. Victory here in December might well usher in a new era.
He had laid down the challenge to a new-look squad the night before the game. For all the antipathy Guardiola has for Real, he often refers to them as the Kings of Europe. He also knows how difficult it is to come here and win.
City have lacked a statement success this season. They have beaten poor versions of Liverpool and Manchester United at the Etihad and claimed a commendable draw at the Emirates. Defeats at Newcastle and Aston Villa were signs of a team in transition. This was the best night of their campaign.
It was the kind of night that can infuse a team with belief as to what is possible. When the final whistle blew, Ruben Dias clenched his fists and roared into the ground. He was pounced on by Gianluigi Donnaurmma. The Italian won this competition with Paris St-Germain, but his celebrations here suggested he knew this might just be a night that looks even bigger come the end of this season.
It has given City control of their destiny once again. They are up to fourth in the league phase table and should now cruise to a top-eight finish with January fixtures against Bodo/Glimt and Galatasaray to come.
They had an early escape when referee Clement Turpin was forced to overturn a penalty decision given against Matheus Nunes for a foul on Vinicius which was outside the box. It stemmed from Josko Gvardiol giving the ball away and Bernardo Silva following suit, but the warning wasn't heeded.
The sloppiness continued and the goal that Real scored would have infuriated Guardiola. City considered a move for Rodrygo in the summer, but the Brazilian remained in Madrid and picked the perfect time to end a 32-game goal drought. The move began in Real's left-back zone when former Manchester United youngster Alvaro Carerras easily overpowered Silva.
That was as close as a City player got to the ball before Donnarumma was picking it out of the back of his net. Real switched it from left to right with ease and Rodrygo slammed in a powerful shot from a tight angle after being played in by Jude Bellingham. It was the least Real had deserved but the game turned in an instant.
Jeremy Doku won a corner with another piece of direct play. Rayan Cherki's delivery was met by Gvardiol and although Thibaut Courtois saved, he could only shovel the ball to Nico O'Reilly for a tap-in. O'Reilly had been guilty of not getting tight enough to Rodrygo for the Real goal, but he is powerful runs down the left were a threat and his first Champions League goal will be one that lives long in the memory.
It got better for the Blues before the break. Antonio Rudiger clumsily barged into Haaland and although Turpin missed it on the field, he was sent to the monitor to correct his decision and Haaland sent Courtois the wrong way.
City had been sparked into life. Haaland and Cherki forced saves from Courtois on the stroke of half-time after a dazzling break and Cherki did the same early in the second half. Guardiola's side had more control now and Real's threats were few and far between, so when Bellingham wasted an excellent opportunity by dinking a shot over Donnarumma and the bar he took his frustration out on the advertising hoardings.
Guardiola picked up a yellow card for complaining about the absence of a second yellow card for Rudiger for a wild challenge on Savinho and would have been watching through his fingers as Endrick sent a header onto the bar, but City held on, and the boos at the final whistle were reserved for Real and Xabi Alonso. That was music to the ears of Guardiola.
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