Champions League

Real Madrid eliminate Man City as Vinicius penalty and red card decide tie

Vinícius Jr., with a penalty and a red card for Bernardo Silva inside 20 minutes, silenced the Etihad. Real Madrid cruised through the rest of the tie. Thibaut Courtois picked up an injury.

0-1. Vinicius celebra el tanto con Thiago Pitarch.

Luis Nieto David Nelson

Update: Mar 17th, 2026 19:07 EDT

There are knockout ties where it’s better not to show up. Pep Guardiola may be thinking exactly that after seeing Federico Valverde as heavy artillery in Madrid and Vinícius as a nightmare in Manchester. There was also unfinished business after Rodri’s “Stop crying” banner during the Ballon d’Or controversy. In the return leg, Courtois stopped City’s early surge before leaving at halftime with an injury, replaced by Andriy Lunin, who was just as sharp as he had been two years ago. Then came a lightning strike from Vinícius: penalty, red card for Bernardo Silva and a converted spot kick before the 20-minute mark. That effectively ended the thriller, even if what followed was an entertaining game full of chances, with a stretched City pushing forward, Jérémy Doku the one constant threat, and Madrid entirely comfortable attacking into space on their way to the quarterfinals. That ease was not in the pregame forecasts, the kind Madrid tends to bury in its trophy room.

Second legs often follow a familiar script: the team that did well sticks with its lineup, while the one that struggled makes changes. That was the case again. Álvaro Arbeloa largely stuck with the same XI from the Bernabéu, with Fran García replacing Ferland Mendy in a forced switch. Defensive battles are Mendy’s specialty, though injuries have been a recurring issue.

Guardiola, meanwhile, made four changes. What went wrong in Madrid wasn’t explained in his press conference, but it showed in his lineup: new fullbacks (Matheus Nunes and Aït-Nouri), Khusanov at center back, an extra midfielder (Reijnders), one fewer forward (Semenyo) and Cherki in for Savinho. On paper, it was a setup more in line with Guardiola’s philosophy, and also a display of squad depth.

Courtois and Vinícius

There was no feeling-out period. The game started at full speed. First came a clear chance for Valverde, caught between a chip and a strike and executing neither. Then Madrid committed two sins: dropping too deep and defending poorly from that low block. The result was a pair of powerful efforts from Cherki and Rodri, both saved by Courtois, plus a mishit attempt from Reijnders at the penalty spot. Madrid’s 15 European titles are full of moments like these, which success tends to erase.

There are parts of this City team that echo its peak years and others that have faded. It still loves possession and can pin opponents back, but its initial press is far less effective. That’s where the game slipped away in Madrid, and again in Manchester.

Real Madrid eliminate Man City as Vinicius penalty and red card decide tie — Vinicius thus scored the penalty that cost Bernardo Silva his expulsion.Phil Noble

Because the second time Madrid broke out, the tie was effectively over. Vinícius, the Champions League version of himself, received from Valverde, drove into the box and hit the post. He followed up, and his second effort was blocked on the line by Bernardo Silva using his arm. VAR corrected two clear mistakes: the assistant’s offside flag and the referee missing the handball. The review confirmed Vinícius was onside, awarded the penalty and showed Bernardo Silva a red card for denying a goal. The Brazilian stepped up and scored, this time without theatrics, effectively closing the tie.

What followed was still compelling: a 10-man City throwing everything forward and Madrid breaking into space. In that exchange, Courtois denied Erling Haaland twice, while Vinícius squandered two chances of his own after excellent buildup. Haaland equalized before halftime with a scrappy finish after a dazzling run from Doku, but the momentum still favored Madrid. Every counterattack came close to a goal, especially one led by Brahim Díaz.

Mbappé back for Real Madrid

Courtois did not return after halftime due to injury, a major setback, but Lunin stepped in and delivered another standout performance. Manchester may not want to see him again. Haaland tested him twice early in the second half. Guardiola reshaped his team with a back three, but before it settled, Vinícius wasted another chance by overcomplicating his finish.

Chances ruled out for City and Madrid

Madrid initially defended deep after the break, a risky approach, before shifting to controlling possession, which proved more effective. City saw two goals ruled out for clear offsides, while Madrid also had efforts from Valverde and Vinícius disallowed.

With the tie all but decided, Kylian Mbappé returned after nine games out. He nearly scored with a low drive, picked up a needless yellow card and was denied what looked a clear penalty.

Madrid eased off late with one eye on what’s ahead, though Vinícius eventually sealed the win in stoppage time. Aurélien Tchouaméni added an assist to underline his all-around impact. Bayern Munich awaits next. In the Champions League, it’s always Hollywood: one battle after another.

Real Madrid eliminate Man City as Vinicius penalty and red card decide tie

Courtois and Vinícius

Mbappé back for Real Madrid

Chances ruled out for City and Madrid

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