Real Madrid’s manager, Carlo Ancelotti, was happy with his team’s performance in Tuesday’s Champions League quarterfinal first leg, which finished in a 3-3 tie, despite being upset that his team lost the chance to defeat Manchester City.
Real Madrid rallied from a second-minute deficit to lead 2-1 at the break thanks to goals from Rodrygo and Ruben Dias, then had enough momentum to increase their lead. Real had fallen behind to a free kick from Bernardo Silva.
But Ancelotti’s team was wasteful and squandered a number of opportunities, which allowed City to grab a 3-2 lead in the second half thanks to goals from Phil Foden and Josko Gvardiol.
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Federico Valverde’s spectacular strike helped Real to a draw, but Italian manager Carlo Ancelotti expressed a bittersweet emotion as the final whistle blew.
“It was a winnable game because we had a chance at 3-1, but at 3-2 we could have lost if we didn’t have the confidence to come back,” he told a press conference.
“It was a very good game from our side, evenly matched and competitive as long as we had the energy to press up front.
“We had our chances but they managed to score two great goals… In the end, the outcome was adequate.”
For the third consecutive year, the sides squared off in a winners League knockout tie, and it was another thrilling match that started a brand-new, intense rivalry between the 14-time European winners and the Premier League heavyweight.
In the 2022 semifinals, Real Madrid defeated City, but Pep Guardiola’s team exacted revenge at the same level the following year.
The match on Tuesday left the fans excitedly anticipating the return leg in Manchester.
The winners of the tie went on to win the trophy both seasons, with City being crowned European champions for the first time.
“It was an incredible game for both teams. We have no doubts about the quality of what we saw on the pitch, two extraordinary teams,” Ancelotti said.
“I liked very much what I saw from our team, especially the interpretation of the match, the courage and the personality.
“In the second leg we have the idea of playing the same game and see what happens.”