Champions League: Man City and Haaland avoid scare ahead of Real Madrid clash

Manchester City and Erling Haaland got a wake up call they didn't know they needed before their Champions League semifinal against Real Madrid.

The Norwegian goal machine has hardly put a foot wrong this season. But against Leeds on Saturday he allowed himself a moment of indulgence which almost backfired on the defending English Premier League champions.

Cruising with a 2-0 lead at Etihad Stadium, Haaland passed up the chance to score a late penalty by handing over the duty to Ilkay Gundogan, who was on for a hat trick.

Gundogan hit the post and Leeds scored a minute later to set up an uncomfortable finish in a match that City totally dominated.

City won 2-1, but against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday, such a lapse in judgement could prove much more costly.

A miffed Pep Guardiola made sure City took the lesson on board.

"Erling is the best penalty taker right now so he has to take it,” the manager said. "If Gundo scores everyone is ‘OK, hat trick, well done.’ But a taker is a taker. At 2-0, this is a business, not a situation where we cannot forget it.”

Memories are still fresh of the semifinals against Madrid last season, when City led by two goals on aggregate going into the 90th minute of the second leg. In a dramatic finish, Madrid scored twice to force extra time, and a 95th-minute penalty knocked City out.

City is looking unstoppable in its pursuit of a treble of trophies, including the Premier League and the FA Cup, but perhaps it was all getting a little too easy for Guardiola's players. Haaland has 51 goals already, and Saturday's win extended their unbeaten run to 20 games in all competitions, not to mention moving the league leaders four points clear of second-placed Arsenal.

“Everyone was incredibly focused knowing what we are playing for," Guardiola said. “But at 2-0 you have to close it and not give them anything. If you have control, you have control.”

Rodrigo's goal changed the mood inside the stadium as relegation-threatened Leeds, under new manager Sam Allardyce, went in search of an unlikely equalizer.

It didn't come, but after this late scare, Haaland surely won't pass up a penalty shot if one comes his way in Madrid on Tuesday.