‘Feels like a defeat’: Real Madrid star UNHAPPY with team’s performance against Manchester City

Real Madrid and Mancehster City shared the spoils with a 3-3 draw in a dramatic first leg of UEFA Champions League quarter-final at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid.

Despite a scintillating draw where both the sides went neck and neck, Real Madrid players weren’t satisfied with their performance as they felt that they let City off the hook as they went back to Etihad very much alive in the tie.

In a thrilling game Manchester City caught the home side napping early on in the game as they opened the scoring through a Bernardo Silva freekick inside just two minutes. Real Madrid turned it around inside just 12 minutes as they went ahead 2-1 courtesy Camavinga and Rodrygo.

In the second half two sublime long range strikes by Phil Foden and Josko Gvardiol sent Manchester City into total control before Real Madrid’s Uruguayan midfield dynamo Federico Valverde cancelled out the advantage with a fantastic half volley as the match finished 3-3.

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Fede Valverde Unhappy with the result

Despite his sublime goal, Fede Valverde wasn’t much pleased with his side’s performance as he felt City were there for the taking and his teammates missed out on the opportunity.  

“The draw just like last year, feels like a defeat”, said Fede Valverde to Guillermo Rai of the Athletic post game. Valverde’s frustrations from last year have carried forward to this game and he wants to use Real Madrid’s hammering 4-0 loss against Manchester City in the second leg of UCL semi finals at Etihad as extra motivation.

“We need to use what happened at the Etihad last year as motivation”, said Fede. Talking about his goal, Valverde added, ““I hit that shot with all my heart, it's nice to score at the Bernabéu”.

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Will Real Madrid be made to rue their missed chances at Etihad?

Real Madrid had plenty of opportunities in the first half and second half of the game as Rodrygo, Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham failed to capitalise and Real had to settle for a draw. Perhaps the best opportunity of the game fell to Vinicius Jr in the second half as he fired the ball over the crossbar despite being one on one with the keeper and the entire goal to aim at.

The missed chances have frustrated Real Madrid fans and manager Carlo Ancelotti as they hope to improve their finishing in the second leg.

Real Madrid will travel to Manchester next week to face Manchester City at the Etihad stadium for the second leg of their quarter-final clash. Real Madrid have never won a game at Etihad and have conceded 8 goals in their last two trips.