Man of the Match: Is รngel Di Marรญa still underrated? Perhaps, with todayโs performance the perfect example why. The Argentine winger was vital to two Real Madrid goals, but within the context of one of the more dramatic matches youโll see, the highlights wonโt have time to adequately highlight his contributions.
On Realโs opener, Di Marรญa made a key run from the right, took a pass from Mesut รzil and drew in the defense before finding Marcelo. Moments later, Real Madrid was even, 1-1.
On Realโs second goal, the Argentine international dribbled from the right into the middle of the defense before threading a ball to Karim Benzema, who was left with only one man to beat for Realโs second equalizer.
Di Marรญa will get one, maybe two assists today, but within the context of Realโs dramatic comeback, those contributions will be undersold. As always, he was left to walk the line between overlooked and star.
Packaged for takeaway:
- The match started flat, but with four goals in the final 15 minutes of regulation time (three in the last six), day one of Champions League group stage gave us an immediate classic.
- Both teams made surprising changes in defense, starting young center halves few predicted would see time. Nineteen-year-old French defender Raphaรซl Varane was in Realโs XI, relegating Sergio Ramos to the bench. Serbian Matija Nastasic, also 19, came in for City, pushing Joleon Lescott out of the team.
- With Michael Essien (for Real Madrid) and Gareth Barry (for City) also in, the teams set up slightly defensive. City had sacrificed a striker to go 4-2-3-1, puttingย Yaya Tourรฉย behind Carlos Tรฉvez. Josรฉ Mourinho started neither of his playmakers: Mesut รzil or Luka Modric.
- Perhaps predictably, Real Madrid was able to control the first half. City was content to sit back and absorb pressure, and while that left a number of opportunities for Real to try from distance (Cristiano Ronaldo took a number of cracks at Joe Hart), the containment plan worked.
- The only cracks in Cityโs first half defense were twoย Gonzalo Higuaรญn chances, both times running on to Di Marรญa chips to earn chances on Hart. The first was snuffed out by a nice read from the `keeper. The second was shot wide.
- Cityโs best chances of the half came on counters, taking advantage of Tourรฉโs advanced role, though chances in the 31st and 38th minute broke down before testing Iker Casillas.
- Roberto Mancini was forced into a change in the 38th minute,ย Samir Nasri coming on with a right leg injury.ย Aleksandr Kolarovย came on to play in front of Gael Clichy for the rest of the half.
- The substitution eventually brought about a formation change. Kolarov played deep on the left, pushing Clichy into the left side of a central three. Maicon played Kolarovโs opposite wingback, and with Tourรฉ dropping deeper into midfield, City played a 3-5-2, with David Silva playing in support of Tรฉvez.
- The shift served Maicon well. The former Inter defender was initially able to push up the right and disrupt Real left back Marcelo, who Real had trouble building through after the change.
- It took Real Madrid about 13 minutes to figure out what City had done. Then, they resumed the same dominance of play they had in the first half, creating 60th and 65th minute chances for Marcelo just outside the box.
- And Manchester City returned to the counter attack, with Tourรฉ finally pulling the right string in the 69th minute. A turnover created just inside Cityโs half gave Tourรฉ the opening to burst forward to create a two-one-one โ he and Edin Dzeko versus Varane. Twenty-five yards out, Tourรฉ released a pass for Dzeko who, with Alvaro Arbeloa and Sami Khedira in pursuit, slotted the opener past Casillas.
- The lead didnโt last long. Seven minutes later, Real Madrid was able to create another chance for Marcelo. This time, the defender took his time, opted for precision instead of power, and opened his right foot on a ball that flew just under Hartโs crossbar.
- Nine minutes later, luck smiled in Cityโs favor when a restart by Kolarov skidded behind Madridโs defense, possibly deflected off Xabi Alonso, and went inside Casillasโs far post, giving City their second one-goal lead. The outcome may have been fortunate, but if it wasnโt for Pablo Zabaleta โ who hustled to draw the foul on Karim Benzemaย ย โ the goal wouldnโt have happened.
- Benzema got revenge two minutes later, taking a pass from Di Marรญa, moving around Nastasic, and beating Hart ย inside the right post for another quick equalizer.
- Three minutes later, Real had their first lead. Cristiano Ronaldo, in possession just to the left of the box, cut back on Zabaleta and onto his right foot. He launched a topspin heavy shot that confused Hart, the keeper seemingly expecting Vincent Kompany to block the ball. Hart hesitated, didnโt react as the ball dipped, and let in a winner most goalkeepers would have stopped.
- The comeback would have been amazing in itโs own right, but within the context of what Real Madridโs league struggles, it became both necessary and a possible turning point. Losing to Manchester City would have thrust the club into an identity crisis. Forced to comeback twice, Real Madridโs attack had to wake up. That it did will help the club re-grasp its mystique.
- For City, this is a match you forget as soon as possible. They werenโt expected to get anything out of todayโs game. That they lost their point on a howler makes it hard to reconcile (Javi Garcรญa threw both arms up and fell to the ground when he saw the ball go in), but in the bigger picture, this one of the more acceptable losses City will ever be dealt.
