Real Madrid edged Manchester City 3-2 in a pulsating Champions League Round of 16 first leg. Erling Haaland opened scoring (18’), but Vinícius Júnior (33’) and Rodrygo (51’) put Madrid ahead. Phil Foden’s volley (67’) leveled it, before Jude Bellingham fired a 87th-minute winner from 20 yards, capitalizing on a defensive error. The match saw end-to-end drama, with Thibaut Courtois saving Haaland’s late header. Pep Guardiola criticized City’s “sloppy defending,” while Carlo Ancelotti praised Bellingham’s “clutch mentality.” The rematch is set for 4 March at Bernabéu, with Madrid holding a slim advantage.
