Madrid transfer represents another setback for Guardiola’s Champions League legacy.
MANCHESTER, England — Real Madrid advanced to the quarterfinals of the Champions League after eliminating Manchester City for the third consecutive year.
A 2-1 victory at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday secured a 5-1 aggregate triumph for Real Madrid, who are expected to face Bayern Munich — 6-1 victors over Atalanta in their last-16 first leg — in the next round.
In need of overcoming a three-goal deficit from Madrid, City began strongly, but the match shifted midway through the first half when Bernardo Silva was dismissed for handling Vinícius Júnior’s shot on the line, a decision made after a lengthy VAR review.
Vinícius, who missed a penalty in the 3-0 victory at the Bernabeu last week, converted from the spot. Although Erling Haaland equalized just before halftime, City could not regain control of the tie with 10 players.
Pep Guardiola’s team had two goals disallowed for offside in the second half and concluded the match with 22 shots on goal, but Vinícius scored again in stoppage time to secure victory for Real Madrid both for the match and on aggregate. — Rob Dawson
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Another Champions League setback for Guardiola
Manchester City appointed Pep Guardiola a decade ago with the explicit goal of becoming consistent Champions League winners under the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager, but this period has yielded more European disappointments than achievements.
City’s only Champions League victory occurred in 2023, when they defeated Inter Milan in the final in Istanbul. They also reached the 2021 final, where they lost to Chelsea in Porto.
This represents the entirety of Guardiola’s 10 years in the Champions League with City, and for the second consecutive season, his team exits the tournament before the quarterfinals. Indeed, during these 10 years, City have only reached the last four on three occasions. There is no doubt that Guardiola has underperformed at this elite level.
In some respects, Guardiola’s record mirrors that of Sir Alex Ferguson during his tenure at Manchester United. Ferguson’s United dominated English football, securing 13 league titles in 20 years, yet they won only two Champions Leagues in that span and lost two finals — coincidentally, to Guardiola’s Barcelona. Guardiola’s City have claimed six league titles in ten years, but only one Champions League, despite participating in the competition every season under his management at the Etihad.
If he departs his position in the summer, as many anticipate, his Champions League record will be the sole blemish on his legacy. — Mark Ogden
Never underestimate Real Madrid
Prior to the first leg in Madrid last week, there was a prevailing belief that Real Madrid would be fortunate to advance. Head coach Alvaro Arbeloa’s press conference was filled with inquiries about being the underdogs, and even the supporters at the Bernabeu appeared relatively pessimistic. The match was not a sellout, and there was no significant atmosphere before kickoff, which is often present during crucial Champions League nights.
However, this has served as a reminder that one should never dismiss Real Madrid in this tournament. There is something unique about their presence on this stage.
Arsenal, Bayern Munich, and Barcelona may be viewed as more probable contenders. Nevertheless, Real Madrid will be optimistic about their chances after eliminating one of the top teams in the Premier League.
City’s Bernardo Silva remarked on Monday that the best team typically prevails in a domestic league, but the Champions League operates differently.
Real Madrid finished ninth in the league phase standings and had to navigate a tense playoff against Benfica. Yet they still find themselves in the quarterfinals, and from this point, anything is possible. With Real Madrid, the outcome is always uncertain. — Dawson
Haaland still struggling despite goal
The Norwegian appears to be lacking something — whether it be fitness or confidence. He scored in this match, but even when presented with a close-range opportunity from Jérémy Doku’s cross, he finished in a manner that was not particularly convincing.
With City in urgent need of goals in the second half, Guardiola opted to substitute Haaland with Omar Marmoush with over 30 minutes remaining. Whether this decision was made to preserve him for Sunday’s Carabao Cup final, it still reflects poorly when the star striker is taken off despite the team’s need to score.
The goal against Real Madrid marked just Haaland’s fifth of 2026 and the third from open play. In the first leg in Madrid, he did not attempt a shot, and in the 1-1 draw with West Ham on Saturday, he squandered two good opportunities.
There is a theory suggesting that Haaland has struggled in the latter half of the season due to injuries to City’s two best wingers: Savinho and Doku. Having both back in the squad should assist Haaland in obtaining the chances he requires as the season progresses, but he still seems to be lacking his usual sharpness in front of goal. — Dawson
Alexander-Arnold’s World Cup position in doubt
Trent Alexander-Arnold has faced a challenging first year at Real Madrid following his summer transfer from Liverpool, and he also encountered difficulties at the Etihad.
The 27-year-old faced off against Doku, and the City player clearly won their individual matchup. Alexander-Arnold was outmuscled and outrun by the Belgian international, who was one of City’s few bright spots on a night when they exited the Champions League.
Injuries have limited Alexander-Arnold to just 20 first-team appearances since the season began — excluding last summer’s FIFA Club World Cup — and he appeared out of sorts in this match.
Due to his inconsistent performance at Real, Alexander-Arnold’s inclusion in England’s World Cup squad is uncertain. Reece James’s hamstring injury could lead to his recall to Thomas Tuchel’s squad when he announces his group on Friday for the upcoming friendlies against Uruguay and Japan. However, based on his current form, he may not even secure a spot in that squad.
His World Cup aspirations are at stake. — Ogden
Khusanov rare bright spot for City
Abdukodir Khusanov excelled for City against Real, providing Vinícius with one of his toughest challenges of the season at the Etihad.
The 22-year-old appeared to struggle when he joined from Lens in January 2025 and had a difficult debut against Chelsea. However, he has worked diligently on his game and significantly enhanced his physique to become arguably City’s top defender.
The Uzbekistan international showcased remarkable speed and strength against Real. At one point, he closed a three-yard gap on Brahim Díaz to dispossess the former City player after it seemed he had been set free by Vinícius.
Khusanov has had to compete for his position, but he is demonstrating real consistency. On a challenging night for City, he was a notable positive. — Ogden
