Real Madrid's Controversial Penalty Denial Against Man City: Analysis of Var Decision
Manchester City breathed a sigh of relief as VAR overturned a penalty decision against Real Madrid in a dramatic Champions League clash at the Bernabeu. The night ended in a 2-1 victory for City, putting pressure on Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso. Here's a detailed breakdown of the key moments and repercussions of the match.
Manchester City were delighted after VAR intervened to stop the award of a penalty to Real Madrid in just the second minute of the Champions League clash at the Bernabeu on Wednesday night. Vinicius Jr was seen punching the air in delight after the referee pointed to the spot, but Matheus Nunes' foul was adjudged to have happened just outside the box on a night where City ran out 2-1 victors over the Spaniards.The defeat puts significant pressure on Madrid manager Xabi Alonso, who has seen his side relinquish the lead at the top of La Liga to arch rivals Barcelona and now drop down the European rankings after losing to Pep Guardiola’s side. Rodrygo opened the scoring for Real Madrid in the 28th minute with a low shot from a counter-attack, ending his long goal drought, but City responded quickly, with Nico O'Reilly poking home an equaliser from close range after a goalmouth scramble. Just before half-time, Erling Haaland converted a penalty after Antonio Rudiger fouled him in the box, sealing the comeback win for City. Despite a second-half push from Real, including a Jude Bellingham chip over the bar and an Endrick header clipping the crossbar, City held on to a crucial victory. The win moves Guardiola's men to fourth in the Champions League standings, while Real drop to seventh. But one of the main talking points from the evening will be the early would-be spot-kick, which was controversially overturned by VAR.Speaking to TNT after the match, Haaland told reporters: "Difficult to come here, it's a tough place. Game was a bit chaotic, we couldn't really control it. We get the win in the end, super happy. This is a place you want to play, these are games you want to play. With this new format in Champions League you get to play more games which is nice. I like it. It could have looked completely different today if we didn't win because of the Leverkusen defeat, this win is really important. Two more games left. We need to finish strong and hopefully we can be in the first eight because then we're through." Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reportingFrance superstar Kylian Mbappe was an unused substitute after picking up a muscle injury. And the French superstar's absence was a big miss for the hosts. Haaland added: "We know about their injuries, we have some too but they have many. You don't want anyone to be injured but we expected him to play. I expected to come up against Kylian today. But when a player like that is out - you're not happy because you want to play the best - but it gives you a bit of a psychological boost. You want to play the best players and after one minute (Raul) Asencio was trying to push me and beef with me which I like personally - I don't mind it. With Antonio Rudiger as well we have had some great battles, but today he wanted it too much and we got the penalty."
Early Drama: The Denied Penalty
In the second minute of the match, Vinicius Jr was initially awarded a penalty after a foul by Matheus Nunes. However, VAR intervened and determined that the foul occurred just outside the box, denying Real Madrid the opportunity to take an early lead. The decision sparked controversy and set the tone for a tense encounter.
City's Resilient Comeback
Despite going behind to Rodrygo's goal, City showed character and responded quickly through Nico O'Reilly's equalizer. The pivotal moment came just before half-time when Erling Haaland converted a penalty, securing the comeback win for Pep Guardiola's side. Real Madrid mounted a second-half push but couldn't find the equalizer, allowing City to hold on for a crucial victory.
Implications for Real Madrid and City
The defeat adds to the pressure on Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso, as his team now faces challenges domestically and in Europe. City's victory moves them up to fourth in the Champions League standings, positioning them well for the remainder of the group stage. The absence of Kylian Mbappe due to injury was felt by Real Madrid, highlighting the importance of key players in such high-stakes matches.
Haaland's Reflections on the Match
Erling Haaland acknowledged the difficulty of playing at the Bernabeu and expressed his satisfaction with City's win. Reflecting on the match dynamics and the importance of securing three points, Haaland emphasized the significance of the victory in the context of the Champions League group stage. The absence of Mbappe and the psychological boost of facing an injury-depleted Real Madrid squad were notable factors in City's performance.
