Manchester City Stuns Real Madrid 3-1 in Champions League Round of 16 First Leg

Manchester City delivered a masterclass performance to defeat Real Madrid 3-1 in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie at the Etihad Stadium, putting themselves in prime position to advance to the quarterfinals.

Erling Haaland was the star of the show, scoring twice in the first half to give City a commanding lead. The Norwegian striker opened the scoring in the 22nd minute with a trademark finish from close range after Kevin De Bruyne's perfectly weighted through ball split the Madrid defense.

Haaland doubled City's advantage just before halftime, heading home from a Riyad Mahrez cross to cap off a dominant first-half display from Pep Guardiola's side. The goal was Haaland's 11th in the Champions League this season, extending his incredible debut campaign in Europe's premier competition.

"The team played incredible tonight," Haaland said after the match. "We know Real Madrid are the defending champions and one of the best teams in the world, so to win like this at home gives us great confidence for the second leg."

Real Madrid briefly threatened a comeback when Vinícius Júnior pulled one back in the 65th minute with a brilliant solo effort, cutting inside from the left wing and curling a shot into the top corner past Ederson. However, City quickly restored their two-goal cushion when Bernardo Silva scored from the edge of the box following excellent buildup play.

The result leaves Real Madrid with a mountain to climb in the second leg at the Santiago Bernabéu on March 7th. The defending champions will need to overcome a two-goal deficit against a City side that has shown remarkable consistency in European competition this season.

City manager Pep Guardiola was pleased with his team's performance but warned against complacency ahead of the return fixture. "We played very well tonight, but we know it's only halftime," Guardiola said. "Real Madrid have so much experience in this competition, and they've shown many times they can turn these situations around. We must be ready for a tough battle in Madrid."

The victory extends City's impressive Champions League form this season, having won five of their six group stage matches before this commanding performance against the defending champions.