Ritam Dey in Madrid
As the 2024 Ballon d’Or drama reignited in the knockout rounds of the UEFA Champions League, Manchester welcomed Vinicius Jr with a tifo featuring Rodri that quoted the famous Oasis song: “Stop crying your heart out.” Vinicius, mocked by City’s fans for “crying” on the Internet after seeing Rodri scoop the award, was out on the pitch. City’s midfield maestro, on the other hand, is still out with an ACL tear, and was seen in the stands photographing the tifo and cheering for his team.
But the last laugh on the night went the way of the Brazilian, who was the Man of the match after winning the game 3-2 in the dying moments for Real Madrid. Vinicius admitted he was extra motivated for the game because of the mockery, and that it pushed him to contribute to both the goals that helped CarloAncelotti’s ‘New Galacticos’ to come back after being 2-1 down. The goals came from Kylian Mbappe, Brahim Diaz and Jude Bellingham, with Vinicius assisting twice and Dani Ceballos supplying the other. A brace by Erling Haaland, his first goals against Real, had seen City lead twice, only for another capitulation in a season of such results.
This was the fourth successive season where these two giants met in the Champions league, and fifth in six years, but it was the first time Real Madrid had clinched victory at the Etihad Stadium. Fans from both sides were quite nervous before the start of the game as neither team started the season as theywould have liked. The sense of tension in Madrid could be felt, in the streets to the bars, with injuries adding fuel to the fire. Having a lead to take back home was integral, as Bellingham stated, with further fortifying news coming from the manager who said that David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger might be backfor the return at the Santiago Bernabeu.
This was City’s first Champions League loss at home after leading twice. Thrice now, they have surrendered an advantage to Real. For the moment, no one is laughing at Vinicius, but with the tie still poised on a knife edge, the last words haven’t been written. Pep Guardiola spoke of his team no longer having the stability and control of old, and it will need more than Haaland’sgoals for a miracle in Madrid next week.