Manchester City pulled off a stunning late fightback to beat Real Madrid 2-1 away in Wednesday’s Champions League last-16, first leg in which the Spaniards had captain Sergio Ramos sent off late on.
Kevin de Bruyne kept his cool to beat Belgium teammate Thibaut Courtois from the penalty spot in the 82nd minute to give City the lead after Gabriel Jesus had headed home a cross from de Bruyne to pull the visitors level in the 78th minute.
Isco had given Real the lead on the hour mark following a sweeping counterattack but the 13-time European champion’s night soon unravelled, culminating in Ramos being sent off for hauling down Jesus in a bid to prevent a third goal.
Ramos will be suspended for the second-leg at the Etihad Stadium on March 17 while City’s influential defender Aymeric Laporte was forced off injured in the first half, another setback in a season marked by fitness troubles.
Pep Guardiola opted to leave his top scorers Raheem Sterling and Sergio Aguero out of the starting lineup. Yet he turned to Sterling in the second half and the England forward earned the penalty from which de Bruyne snatched the winner.
Juventus’s hopes of reaching the Champions League last eight suffered a blow when the two-time European Cup winner slumped to a 1-0 defeat at Olympique Lyonnais.
Midfielder Lucas Tousart scored the only goal in the opening half to give Lyon, bidding to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2010, a deserved win.
Lacking quality
Juventus lacked quality, with Cristiano Ronaldo rarely getting into scoring positions, and it will need to improve in the return-leg if it is to progress.
After a cagey start, Lyon made a clear chance when Karl Toko-Ekambi’s header at the near post from Houssem Aouar’s corner hit the crossbar. Aouar then burst into the area and delivered a cutback that Tousart placed into the top corner from close range to put the French side ahead after 31 minutes.
Juve was at the time down to 10 men as Mathias de Ligt was getting treatment for blood on his head.
The results(last-16, first-leg): Lyon 1 (Tousart 31) bt Juventus 0; Real Madrid 1 (Isco 60) lost to Manchester City 2 (Jesus 78, de Bruyne 83-pen).
