Tag: Manchester City

Manchester City stand on the brink of a historic fourth successive Premier League title, but Arsenal lie in wait hoping for a last-gasp slip from the leaders on Sunday.

Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering team go into the final day of the season with a two-point lead over second-placed Arsenal thanks to an eight-game winning streak.

City, who host West Ham knowing a win will seal the title, are hot favourites to set a new standard for dominance in English football.

Arsenal, at home to Everton in their final game, have been near flawless themselves in 2024, with 15 wins and one draw, away to Manchester City, in 17 league matches.

However, the Gunners’ costly 2-0 defeat against Aston Villa last month looks set to be decisive in a thrilling title race that also involved Liverpool until their recent stumbles.

Not for the first time, Manchester City have been at their relentless best in the intense heat of the run-in.

Guardiola’s men have dropped just six points since mid-December, in draws against Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal.

As Manchester City close in on a sixth title in seven seasons under Guardiola, the competitiveness of the Premier League has been questioned.

But the Catalan coach has hit back at suggestions the Premier League has become boring and that City’s dominance is thanks purely to the financial muscle of their Abu Dhabi-based owners.

“It’s not boring, it’s difficult,” Guardiola said, adding that based on spending levels, Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal should be matching City.

“They spent as much money in the last five years as us. They should be there. They are not there.”

David Moyes will take charge of West Ham for the final time at the Etihad Stadium.

And the Scot did not offer much encouragement to Arsenal fans when he claimed this week it would be difficult to stop Man City’s “under-14s winning the title” let alone the champions in full flow.

Arsenal, who finished second last year, must beat Everton and hope Manchester City fail to win if they are to end their 20-year wait for the title.

Mikel Arteta’s men have set a club record by winning 27 Premier League games this season, but that still might not be enough to dethrone City.

“We have to give ourselves the opportunity to live a beautiful day on Sunday, where the dream is still alive and is possible,” Arteta said.

“It’s football and once we are there we just have to live the moment.”

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There will be an emotional farewell for Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp at the end of his memorable nine-year reign, but the Reds will finish third regardless of their result against Wolves at Anfield.

“I spoke before about how hard it will be to say goodbye,” Klopp said.

“I love absolutely everything about this place, I do. I take memories with me, fantastic memories, I take relationships with me forever.”

Manchester United are at risk of missing out on European football altogether after a miserable season.

Erik ten Hag’s men sit eighth and must better Newcastle’s result at Brentford when they visit Brighton to avoid finishing outside the top seven for the first time since 1990.

Tottenham visit relegated Sheffield United knowing a point is enough to guarantee fifth spot, while in-form Chelsea would secure a top-six finish with a draw against Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge.

The top six teams will all definitely qualify for Europe, while seventh could be enough as long as Manchester United do not shock City in next week’s FA Cup final.

At the bottom, Luton will be relegated if they fail to beat Fulham or if Nottingham Forest avoid defeat at Burnley.

Even if Luton win and Forest lose, the Hatters’ vastly inferior goal difference means they need a mathematical miracle to survive.

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Erling Haaland has urged his Manchester City teammates to “relax” after they closed in on making English football history with a 2-0 win away to Tottenham Hotspur.

Tuesday’s triumph in north London saw Manchester City, courtesy of two goals from Haaland, win their game in hand as they returned to the top of the table as they moved two points clear of Arsenal.

Victory at home to West Ham on Sunday’s final day of the season will now assure City of a fourth successive Premier League title — an unprecedented feat in the top tier of English football.

“Yeah, fantastic mentality,” Haaland told City+. “Focus on game by game and now relax. We came here to try to win and we won.

Haaland opened the scoring six minutes into the second half when he tapped in from Kevin De Bruyne’s pass before doubling City’s lead from the penalty spot after Jeremy Doku was brought down by Pedro Porro.

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Spurs, however, had a chance to equalise but City reserve goalkeeper Stefan Ortega, who came on after Ederson was injured in a challenge with Cristian Romero, stood up well to deny Son Heung-min when one-on-one with the South Korean.

“They’re a fantastic team,” Haaland said of Spurs. “You know everyone knows that they want to play all the time and all praise to them.

“It was really difficult, but yeah, we came here to try and win and we won. That’s my only thing and I’m happy.

“I think we were a bit nervous. I think that’s normal, there’s a lot of emotions for everyone.

“Everyone knows the situation, but it’s about not thinking too much. Try to focus on your things to do and try to win.”

He added: “Ortega man of the match… What can I say? He’s incredible and such a good guy as well, so I’m happy for him.”

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Erling Haaland scored four as Manchester City closed to within three games of an unprecedented fourth consecutive Premier League title by thrashing Wolves 5-1 at the Etihad.

Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Bournemouth earlier on Saturday had opened up a four-point lead for the Gunners.

But City showed no signs of feeling the pressure as they cut the gap back to one point and have three matches remaining to Arsenal’s two.

Erling Haaland has faced criticism for not matching the standards of his stunning first season in Manchester, when he scored 52 goals as City won the treble.

However, the Norwegian took his tally for this season to 36 goals in 41 appearances with a devastating display of finishing.

Haaland was restored to Pep Guardiola’s starting line-up after coming off the bench to score against Nottingham Forest last weekend on his return from injury.

Wolves had inflicted one of City’s just three Premier League defeats this season.

But the visitors were blown away as Guardiola’s men extended their unbeaten home streak to 43 games.

Wolves felt fortune also did not go their way as Haaland converted two first-half penalties.

Josko Gvardiol was wiped out by Rayan Ait-Nouri for the first spot-kick after the Croatian’s shot flew off target and Haaland sent Jose Sa the wrong way to open the floodgates.

The Manchester City striker then rose highest to power home a header from Rodri’s hanging cross to the back post.

Erling Haaland looked set to complete his hat-trick when he raced through in first-half stoppage time only to be clipped by Nelson Semedo.

Referee Craig Pawson initially waved play on, but overturned his decision after a VAR review.

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Haaland showed no mercy to fire home his second hat-trick in as many appearances against Wolves at the Etihad.

Any suggestion City could rack up a huge score to chip away at their goal difference deficit compared to Arsenal was punctured as Wolves pulled a goal back early in the second period.

Ederson flapped at a cross from the right to tee up Hwang Hee-Chan perfectly to fire into an unguarded net.

Yet, City’s three-goal cushion was restored in spectacular fashion within a minute.

Phil Foden’s long ball over the top picked out Haaland, who cut onto his lethal left foot and picked out the top corner.

Erling Haaland’s four-goal haul looks to have settled the race for the Golden Boot as his 25 Premier League goals are now five more than Alexander Isak and Cole Palmer.

There could even have been more for City’s number nine, who has twice before scored five in one game since arriving in England.

Sa made a spectacular save to deny Haaland matching that feat once more.

And the 23-year-old was left less than impressed with Guardiola’s decision to hand him a rest for the final eight minutes when he was replaced by Julian Alvarez.

The Argentine rounded off the scoring by finding the far corner from Rodri’s pass.

Manchester City are now unbeaten in 19 Premier League games and their only dropped points since February came in draws against title rivals Arsenal and Liverpool.

The defending champions travel to Fulham and Tottenham in their next two games before hosting West Ham on the final day of the season.

Arsenal must hope there is one more twist in the title race to come if they are to end a 20-year wait to win the league.

But City show no signs of slipping up in their quest to become the first side to ever win four consecutive English top-flight titles.

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Manchester City’s Premier League title bid suffered a blow after Norway striker Erling Haaland was ruled out of Thursday’s crucial clash at Brighton.

Haaland missed City’s 1-0 win over Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley on Saturday due to a muscle injury sustained in the Champions League quarter-final exit against Real Madrid last week.

City’s leading scorer, who has 20 Premier League goals this season, is yet to recover and will not make the trip to the Amex Stadium as the champions look to close the gap on leaders Arsenal.

City boss Pep Guardiola insisted Haaland’s injury was not serious and he could come back into contention in time for Sunday’s game against Nottingham Forest.

While Haaland is sidelined, Guardiola was boosted by England internationals Phil Foden and John Stones getting the green light to face Brighton after their own fitness concerns.

“Erling is not ready for tomorrow, the other two, they are ready,” Guardiola told reporters on Wednesday. “I know it is not a big issue, but he is not allowed for this game.”

As a gripping title race approaches the final furlong, third-placed City are four points behind leaders Arsenal, who thrashed Chelsea 5-0 on Tuesday.

Guardiola’s men have two games in hand on Arsenal and have played one match fewer than second-placed Liverpool, who face Merseyside rivals Everton at Goodison Park on Wednesday.

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Manchester City will be crowned champions for an unprecedented fourth successive season if they win their last six games.

But Guardiola warned his players not to underestimate Brighton, whose manager Roberto De Zerbi has earned his City counterpart’s respect.

“Brighton away, if you put it in my calendar, is one of the toughest ones for the way we play,” he said.

“My admiration is growing every season. They have a lot of injuries and play three competitions, but the way they play is always there. He (De Zerbi) is doing an incredible job at Brighton.”

If City hold off the challenges from north London and Merseyside, it would extend a spell of dominance from Guardiola’s men, who face Manchester United in the FA Cup final in May.

Guardiola has bemoaned the hectic schedule that he believes has put his players’ health at risk, yet he has no intention of resting his stars with the title in his sights.

“Every person has their (preferred) starting XI, but everyone has their contribution. Now we’ve had three or four days since the last game against Chelsea and tomorrow is one of the toughest games of the season,” he said. “Every game is adrenaline and important, but this is decisive.

“Now every mistake or step back makes it more difficult but it is what it is. We have been here these last years, fortunately, many times, so that’s how we know what we are playing for.”

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Manchester United recovered from an astonishing collapse to beat Coventry on penalties in an FA Cup classic on Sunday, setting up a second straight final against Manchester City.

Erik ten Hag’s men won the shootout at Wembley 4-2, with Rasmus Hojlund scoring the decisive spot kick after the teams were level at 3-3 following extra time.

The game perfectly encapsulated a chaotic season for Ten Hag’s men, who are well off the pace in the Premier League.

There was no hint of what was to come when United coasted into a 3-0 lead against their second-tier opponents in the London sunshine, with goals from Scott McTominay, Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes.

But they have made a habit of tossing away leads in recent weeks.

Second-half strikes from Ellis Simms and Callum O’Hare gave the 1987 FA Cup winners hope and Haji Wright levelled from the penalty spot deep into stoppage time, capping a scarcely credible comeback.

Coventry fans taunted Ten Hag with chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” as belief infused the massed ranks of supporters clad in light blue.

A gripping period of extra time followed, with both teams hitting the woodwork, before United held their nerve to win the shootout.

“It was an incredible game, a strange game too,” Ten Hag told ITV. “We had total control for so long and then gave it away in the last part of the game. We did show resilience to win the penalty shootout.”

“We have to improve,” he added. “We talk a lot about this. First you have to put yourself in a winning position but then you have to take it over the line.”

Coventry manager Mark Robins famously played a key part in United’s FA Cup win in 1990, a triumph that launched two decades of success under Alex Ferguson.

But his team’s push to reach the Championship play-offs has faded in recent weeks and they travelled to Wembley as underdogs despite United’s stuttering season.

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United, 12-time winners of the competition, settled early and took the lead in the 23rd minute after a fine move down the right finished off by McTominay.

Marcus Rashford forced a fine save from Bradley Collins late in the first half but United doubled their lead from the resulting corner, with Maguire heading home Fernandes’s cross.

Coventry, who scored twice in stoppage time to beat Premier League team Wolves in the quarter-finals, looked brighter in the early stages of the second period.

But the wind was taken out of their sails when Fernandes’s deflected shot found its way past Collins in the 58th minute.

Coventry pulled a goal back when top-scorer Simms connected with a cross from substitute Fabio Tavares in the 71st minute and O’Hare reduced the deficit further.

The club’s fans were now in full voice as their team mounted waves of attacks and they were level in the 95th minute when Wright scored from the penalty spot after Aaron Wan-Bissaka was adjudged to have handled.

Fernandes rattled the crossbar early in the first period of extra time when set up by substitute Amad Diallo.

Simms then smashed a shot off the underside of the crossbar as time started to run out.

Coventry thought they had won it in the dying moments, sending their fans delirious when substitute Victor Torp poked the ball past Andre Onana but a VAR check ruled that Wright was offside by the narrowest of margins in the build-up.

Casemiro took the first penalty in the shootout, which was saved by Collins.

But O’Hare and captain Ben Sheaf failed to convert, leaving Hojlund with the job of sending United through and he made no mistake.

A disappointed Robins said defeat felt like “kick in the teeth”.

“We’ve just said to them they’ve put themselves right up there in the history of the football club,” he said. “People will talk about this game for a long time.”

Manchester City, who beat United in the 2023 final, edged Chelsea 1-0 in the other semi-final on Saturday.

It is only the second time in the competition’s history that the same two teams have reached successive finals, the first sides to do so since 1885.

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Bernardo Silva fired Manchester City back into the FA Cup final as the Portugal midfielder’s late strike sealed the holders’ 1-0 win against Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday.

Pep Guardiola’s side were second best for long periods of the semi-final, but Chelsea wasted a string of chances before Silva delivered the knockout blow six minutes from full-time.

Shaken by their Champions League quarter-final loss against Real Madrid on penalties in midweek, City took a while to shake off the gloom from the end of their treble bid.

They were hampered by the absence of Norway striker Erling Haaland after he suffered a knock against Real, with Julian Alvarez unable to make an impact as his replacement.

City were bailed out by Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson’s profligacy and Guardiola will hope the hard-fought success provides a timely lift as they chase a Premier League and FA Cup double.

Manchester City face United or Coventry, who meet on Sunday, in the final on May 25 and will retain the Premier League title if they win their last six games.

It will be City’s 13th final in the competition and potentially a repeat of last year’s 2-1 win over United in the Wembley Manchester derby.

Beaten by Liverpool in the League Cup final in February, Chelsea’s wait to win their first domestic trophy since the 2018 FA Cup goes on for another season.

It was a bitter blow for Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino, who has endured a difficult first season in charge and remains without silverware in England.

The semi-final was billed as in-form Chelsea forward Cole Palmer’s chance to punish his old club for selling him to the Blues in September.

Guardiola said Palmer was asking to leave City for two years before he eventually joined Chelsea, where he has scored 23 goals in all competitions this, including 11 in his last six games.

Palmer, who scored four times in Monday’s 6-0 rout of Everton, was a constant threat for Chelsea, but ultimately it was his team’s lack of killer instinct that proved decisive.

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Palmer’s pin-point pass sent Jackson racing into the City area early on, but his strike lacked the accuracy to beat Stefan Ortega in a miss that foreshadowed Chelsea’s fate.

Jackson wasted a golden opportunity to give Chelsea the goal their dominance deserved.

Enzo Fernandez’s pass split the City defence, but Jackson opted to go around Ortega rather than shoot and the chance was gone as Nathan Ake scurried back to clear.

Playing with more purpose and quality than City, Pochettino’s team threatened again as Palmer cleverly shimmied past Rodri for a low drive from 12 yards that was well saved by Ortega.

It was the first time lethargic Manchester City had failed to muster a first half shot on target since a game against Everton in February.

Jackson, in the midst of a terrible debut season, was put clean through on goal by Conor Gallagher immediately after the interval.

But the much-maligned striker’s shot was palmed away by Ortega, who clawed away a close-range header from Jackson seconds later.

City finally tested Djordje Petrovic through Phil Foden’s snap-shot, but the Serbian was equal to his powerful strike.

Chelsea appealed in vain for a penalty when Jack Grealish’s arm blocked Palmer’s free-kick, while Moises Caicedo was fortunate to escape a second booking for a crunching tackle that forced Grealish to limp off.

Grealish’s replacement Jeremy Doku drew an immediate save from Petrovic with a near-post blast.

Doku’s presence lifted Manchester City and the Belgian played a part as they stole the victory in the 84th minute.

Advancing with intent towards the Chelsea area, Doku slipped a pass to Kevin de Bruyne, whose low cross was pushed out by Petrovic to Silva for a close-range finish that deflected home as Guardiola punched the air in relief.

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Pep Guardiola has revealed Erling Haaland could miss Manchester City’s FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday.

Haaland was substituted before the start of extra time in City’s Champions League quarter-final second leg defeat against Real Madrid on Wednesday.

Guardiola said after the penalty shoot-out loss that the Norway striker asked to be withdrawn but did not give a reason why.

The City boss has now confirmed Erling Haaland suffered an injury against Real and suggested it was not certain his leading scorer would recover in time for the FA Cup holders’ clash with Chelsea.

“We will see. It was a tough game, a lot of action, high intensity for both sides,” Guardiola told reporters on Friday.

“Erling felt something, a muscular issue. That’s why he told me he could not continue.

“The doctor said he had a little bit of niggles, a little problem, we will see how his evolution is in the next hours.”

While Guardiola sweats on Haaland’s fitness, City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne should be involved against Chelsea after being taken off during extra time against Real due to fatigue.

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Given City’s hectic schedule, Guardiola conceded it is understandable that players are tired at this stage of the season.

“It’s normal with the amount of games we are playing this season and the previous seasons and not much recovery, and extra time and high intensity,” he said.

“We put a lot of pressure in our game and that’s why the fatigue is there. They are human beings. They are not a machine. We are used to it.”

The agonising shoot-out defeat by Real ended City’s hopes of winning a Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup treble for a second consecutive season.

But they remain on course to repeat the domestic double and Guardiola is determined to ensure the Premier League leaders bounce back from their European frustration.

“We don’t have another option. I don’t want us to feel sorry for ourselves,” he said.

“In football, you lose games. We performed at our best and we were not able to win. You have to accept it.

“We did everything. We know it, they know it, all the world know it, but it was not enough. When it’s not enough, it’s a bad night. So congratulations (to Real) and, tomorrow, FA Cup.”

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Real Madrid exacted revenge on Manchester City to reach the Champions League semi-finals 4-3 on penalties after withstanding a barrage at the Etihad on Wednesday.

Rodrygo gave the visitors an early lead before Kevin De Bruyne hit back for the holders to leave the match level at 1-1 on the night and 4-4 on aggregate.

However, City’s defence of the competition came to an end after Bernardo Silva and Mateo Kovacic saw spot-kicks saved by Madrid’s unlikely hero Andriy Lunin.

The Ukrainian, who has deputised this season for the injured Thibaut Courtois, had been at fault for City’s early opener in a thrilling first leg but more than made amends.

Madrid will face Bayern Munich in the last four after the German giants beat Arsenal 3-2 on aggregate.

Manchester City had not lost at home in the Champions League since 2018 but the holders were held at bay by a heroic defensive effort by the 14-time European champions despite having 34 attempts on goal.

“It’s so difficult. They are continuously probing with the ball and move you around. Most teams would fall apart when City get on top of you but we stood up really well,” said Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham.”

Madrid were blown away by an early City blitz in a 4-0 defeat at the Etihad 11 months ago as Pep Guardiola’s men went on to win the competition for the first time.

City also edged a semi-final first-leg thriller 4-3 on home soil two years ago only to be stunned by a late Madrid fightback in the return leg.

“In other sports, for the stats, we would win but football is like this and it’s marvellous,” said Guardiola.

“Congratulations to Madrid because of their capacity to resist and defend till the end, they did so fantastically. We didn’t manage to score in the final pass or final shot.

“I don’t have any regrets. Always we try to create more and concede less (than the opponent) and we did everything.”

Carlo Ancelotti’s men flipped the script on Wednesday with an assured start that was rewarded with the opening goal.

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Bellingham plucked the ball out of the sky with an immaculate touch to set Real roaming down the right.

Vinicius Junior picked out the unmarked Rodrygo and he tapped in the rebound after his first effort was parried by Brazilian international teammate Ederson.

If City were slow to warm to their task they quickly had Madrid penned against the ropes but failed to land a telling blow for 76 minutes.

Erling Haaland failed to score for a fourth consecutive clash between the sides but has rarely come up closer than when his looping header came back off the crossbar and left Silva no time to adjust to turn in the rebound.

Lunin was forced to turn behind De Bruyne’s shot from outside the box and the tenacious Antonio Rudiger deflected Jack Grealish’s effort into the side-netting.

The Madrid goalkeeper saved two more efforts from Grealish at the start of the second half before Guardiola sacrificed the England international for the extra pace of Jeremy Doku.

That proved an inspired change as Rudiger failed to deal with a Doku cross and presented the ball perfectly for De Bruyne to smash into the roof of the net 14 minutes from time.

De Bruyne should have turned the tie around single-handedly as he then blazed a glorious chance over.

However, City’s threat was blunted during extra-time as both Haaland and De Bruyne had to be replaced.

It was Real who had the best chance of the extra 30 minutes when Rudiger sliced over with a clear sight of goal after staying forward from a rare Madrid corner.

But the German defender was still to have the decisive say as he slotted in the final penalty of the shootout.

Ederson’s save from Luka Modric had given City an early lead.

But Lunin calmly collected Silva’s attempted chip down the middle and then denied Kovacic low to his right.

Bellingham, Lucas Vazquez and Nacho put Madrid on the brink before Rudiger landed the fatal blow to City’s hopes of a second consecutive treble.

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MADRID: Real Madrid and Champions League holders Manchester City shared a pulsating 3-3 draw in a rollercoaster quarter-final first leg on Tuesday at Santiago Bernabeu.

Bernardo Silva put City ahead with a low free-kick but Ruben Dias’ own goal and Rodrygo Goes helped Madrid dramatically and swiftly fight back.

Manchester City’s own quick-fire double in the second half through Phil Foden and Josko Gvardiol stunned the record 14-time winners, but they snatched a draw through Fede Valverde’s scorching volley.

The thrilling match was played in the shadow of a threat by the Islamic State group to target every quarter-final first leg, with a heavy security presence around the Santiago Bernabeu.

Spanish officials said 2,000 police were to be deployed, but the match was played without incident off the field. On it, there was plenty under the closed stadium roof, which produced a thunderous atmosphere.

“I think it was a really good, entertaining game, (it) dignified this competition,” said Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola.

His Madrid counterpart Carlo Ancelotti agreed. “I said yesterday, with all the quality we see on the pitch, of course, it will be a fantastic game,” said the Italian.

“A lot of quality, two fantastic teams, I think the result was right, correct.”

Guardiola omitted influential playmaker Kevin De Bruyne after the Belgian said he was unwell shortly before the game.

The former Barcelona coach also chose Stefan Ortega in goal over the experienced Ederson, only just back from a thigh injury, while Gvardiol overcame a fitness doubt to start.

Ancelotti opted for defensive midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni at centre-back over Nacho Fernandez and an early rash challenge from the Frenchman paved the way for City’s opener.

Tchouameni clumsily hacked down Jack Grealish after 33 seconds and was booked, meaning he will miss the second leg.

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From the free-kick Silva punished Madrid further, catching goalkeeper Andriy Lunin out at his near post with a low effort which skidded home.

Lunin was sluggish to react and although he got a hand to the ball he could not keep it out.

Ancelotti, coaching a record 200th Champions League match, claimed his team lacked courage and personality when they were crushed by City in last season’s semis, but they showed mental strength to quickly turn the game on its head.

This kind of feat is Madrid’s wont in the Champions League, and they produced two goals in two minutes, reminiscent of their stunning 2022 semi-final comeback against City thanks to Rodrygo’s brace.

Dias deflected the first into his own net as he tried to block Camavinga’s long-range piledriver, and Rodrygo slipped home the second after Vinicius Junior played him in, aided by another deflection, off Manuel Akanji.

A breathless first 45 minutes was followed by more of the same, in a tie increasingly dubbed a Champions League “Clasico”.

Rodri headed over for the visitors and Vinicius blasted over the top before City sprang their own comeback and extended their unbeaten run to 26 matches.

Foden pulled his team level with a superb strike, and arced into the top corner from the edge of the box.

The England international is enjoying his finest goalscoring campaign with this perfectly placed effort his 22nd across all competitions.

Foden was taken off hurt late on but Guardiola said the injury was just “a knock”.

With Antonio Rudiger shackling Erling Haaland, City got a goal from an unlikely source to lead five minutes later.

Gvardiol’s ferocious bending effort from distance left Lunin no chance and silenced the Bernabeu — but not for long.

Valverde’s brilliant volley from Vinicius’ cross zipped past Ortega to level the score and leave the game deliciously poised for the second leg on April 17.

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Jude Bellingham is aiming to give Real Madrid the edge they badly lacked last season in the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Manchester City on Tuesday, as he continues a remarkable first season in Spain.

England star Bellingham will lead Madrid’s attack alongside Vinicius Junior as the reigning European and Premier League champions visit the Santiago Bernabeu.

Battered and bruised in a 5-1 aggregate thumping by Pep Guardiola’s City at the semi-final stage last year, Real Madrid stumped up 103 million euros ($112 million) to sign the England star from Borussia Dortmund.

Madrid’s initial expectations for the 20-year-old were quickly smashed, as he surpassed them at lightning pace.

Jude Bellingham began in stunning goalscoring form, with 14 strikes in his first 15 matches for the club, breaking the record of 13 held by Madrid greats Cristiano Ronaldo and Alfredo Di Stefano.

Having arrived at the club as a midfielder but mainly deployed in the attack by Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti, Bellingham quickly established himself as a leader and a fan favourite — “Hey Jude”, they serenade in the capital.

Although inevitably his goal flow has slowed in recent weeks, he remains Madrid’s top scorer and in addition to 20 across 32 appearances in all competitions, he also has provided 10 assists.

Madrid, who also seem poised to capture Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe this summer at the end of his contract, hope Bellingham can help them catch up with City.

Guardiola believes Bellingham’s presence could be crucial for the record 14-time winners.

“(Bellingham’s) impact has been massive,” Guardiola told reporters in March.

“It’s a different team from last season — his influence is obvious, and we have to try to discover what he does to control it.

“Facing Real Madrid is always a tough challenge, nobody can deny it. They are an exceptional club, and in this competition, they can control many things with the experience they have in the past.”

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Madrid have a track record of snatching victory from the jaws of defeat in Europe and did just that against Manchester City in 2022 on the way to glory.

Rodrygo Goes struck in the 90th and 91st minutes against City to force the tie to extra-time and Karim Benzema netted the winner to secure a remarkable 6-5 aggregate triumph for Los Blancos.

However, the following season Benzema was not fully fit, and a Madrid lacking spine crumpled at the Etihad Stadium in a 4-0 second-leg thrashing.

Despite only being at the club for a few months, Bellingham has already shown a penchant for the big occasion.

The midfielder helped Madrid come from behind to beat Barcelona 2-1, netting a brace in the league match in October including a 92nd-minute winner.

Bellingham’s Madrid thrashed Barcelona 4-1 in his second Clasico appearance to claim the Spanish Super Cup in January, his first trophy with Madrid.

Eight points clear in La Liga, a second beckons domestically, but Bellingham understands how much Champions League victory would mean for his club.

“I’d much rather keep scoring in the 90-plus minutes than in the 15th, even though it might take a bit of strain (on) my heart and the fans’ hearts,” said Bellingham after a 94th-minute winner against Union Berlin in the group stage.

“That’s the history of the club, I’m new… but I’ve had a TV since I was little and I can’t remember from what age I’ve been watching Madrid complete comebacks where I’m thinking ‘there’s no chance’ and ‘it’s not possible’.”

Bellingham has four Champions League goals in six appearances this season, including netting twice against Serie A champions Napoli.

An ankle sprain and a suspension has disrupted his start to 2024 but the City tie offers Bellingham a chance to get fully back on track, against a club that would have loved to sign him before it became clear he had his heart set on Madrid.

Most would have liked to — even at 20, Bellingham is drawing comparisons to some all-time greats.

“There are things about the way he plays that remind me of (Zinedine) Zidane — it’s his extraordinary quality on the ball,” declared Ancelotti in February.

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