As the opening leg of the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League quarterfinals began on Tuesday, four teams have battled it out so far. While the results have been favourable so far, there will be plenty more to play for in the second leg next week.
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In the first game, involving Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund, the former trumped the Bundesliga giant. Being played at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Kevin De Bruyne scored the opener in the 19th minute, while Marco Reus levelled it in the 84th, only for Phil Foden to restore City's lead in the closing stages.
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City will have an uphill task in the second leg next week, with the game being played at Signal Iduna Park. Furthermore, Dorumind has the away goal advantage to its favour.
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"Dortmund are strong, a good quality with the players they have and the quality it is difficult to do what we want to do, but 2-1 and we have a good chance next week. We are going to watch the game. We will adjust a few things to go there and try to win the game. Next is Leeds, and then, we go to Germany to try and win the game," said City boss Pep Guardiola after the game, reports BT Sport.
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Meanwhile, Jude Bellingham, who was supposedly denied a chance to score, vented his frustration at the referee. "I definitely think I won the ball fairly. It's a bit frustrating in a time when they've got so many cameras watching the game they don't wait for me to put the ball in the net and then check it," he reckoned.
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As for the game of the day, UCL record champion and Spanish champion Real Madrid took on the English champion, Liverpool, at Santiago Bernabéu. While it was expected to be a close game, the former made it look easy.
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Vinicius Junior opened the scoring for the host in the 27th minute, followed by Marco Asensio nine minutes later. While Mohamed Salah pulled one back for the visitor in the 51st, it was Junior again who scored his brace 14 minutes later to win the leg and stay at a comfortable position, heading into Anfield next week.
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Although The Reds has an away goal advantage here, judging by the significant lead by Los Blancos, it would be an uphill task for the former, even at home next week. It was the first time since UCL 2005 that Liverpool has conceded two at half-time, besides failing to have a shot on target in the first half for the first time since 2014.
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"If you want to go to the semi-final, you have to earn the right to do so. We didn't do that tonight, especially in the first half. The only good thing I can say, apart from the goal, is it's only the first half of the tie," told Liverpool head coach Jurgen Klopp to BT Sport.
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