Real Madrid and City maintain the suspense and Bayern leaves London alive

Paris. Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, with 20 Champions League titles between them, could not win this Tuesday in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals against Manchester City (3-3) and Arsenal (2-2) respectively, in one night without incidents to regret despite the threat of the jihadist group Islamic State that weighed on both parties.

The double duel that measured on the one hand the weight of history and the continental stripes of the aristocracy of European football that Madrid and Munich embody with the economic power and the great stars of English football, will not know its final outcome until the 17th. April.

Manchester City, current champion of the Champions League, and Bayern Munich, which is clinging to the most prestigious European competition to save its season, leave the Santiago Bernabéu and the Emirates in London with the role of favorites against the current leaders of the League and the Premier, since they will act as locals in the return duels.

Alternatives and uncertainty

In both games, full of alternatives and uncertainty until the end, it was the English teams that took the lead.

The minute of play had not passed in a Bernabéu dressed for the occasion in the white that its fans were wearing, at the request of the club, when a foul by Aurélien Tchouaméni, who was playing center back, led to a yellow for the Frenchman and the goal. by the Portuguese Bernardo Silva.

In the midst of the visitors’ control, Real Madrid equalized the match when Camavinga took a shot from the edge of the area that slipped into City’s net after being deflected by Ruben Dias, displacing goalkeeper Stefan Ortega (12).

Just two minutes later, Rodrygo rode down the wing to stand in the area and beat the rival goalkeeper one-on-one, making it 2-1 (14).

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Already in the second act, two shots from Phil Foden (60) and Gvardiol (71) put the ‘Citizens’ ahead, before Uruguayan midfielder Fede Valverde volleyed a pass from Vinicius to make the final 3-3 (70).

“It’s a good result. I have too good an opinion of this team to think that we are going to come here to play floral games. It is an open tie and we will try to resolve it at home,” declared Guardiola.

Just over 2,000 security personnel, a little more than is usual for big matches, ensured that the night passed without incidents unrelated to sports in the Madrid stadium.

Saviour table

Of the four contenders in contention, the German Bayern Munich is the only one without real chances of winning the title in its domestic championship, after two consecutive defeats in the Bundesliga that left the Bavarian giant 16 points behind the leader Bayer Leverkusen.

The dynamic was much better for Arsenal, leader of the Premier League, but on the pitch the pulse between the hierarchy of history and the situation of the moment was stalemate for the moment.

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Arsenal, who were experiencing their first Champions League quarter-final match this Tuesday since 2010, could at least have the relief of ultimately avoiding a defeat that would have left them on the ropes.

“In the Champions League you don’t have to give anything to your rival, today we gave them two goals. It’s the biggest lesson that we learn today,” said the English coach, Mikel Arteta.

In the 12th minute, Ben White sent a pass into the area for Saka, who with a cross shot put the ball out of the reach of veteran Manuel Neuer.

White was able to extend the score shortly after, in the 17th minute, but Neuer won him one-on-one.

And what could have been 2-0 became 1-1, when a loss of ball in the center of the field allowed Bayern to lead a quick counterattack that ended with a pass from Leon Goretzka from the edge of the area into the the same one, so that Gnabry could barely get his foot in, just enough to score.

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The penalty converted by Kane in the 32nd minute already put the Germans ahead and reminded the English star of the flavor of his goals in the north London derbies that he played for years with Tottenham against Arsenal.

In the 76th minute, when a short pass from Gabriel Jesús was taken advantage of by Trossard to send a shot into the area that became the final 2-2.