Manchester City and Real Madrid played out one of the best Champions League quarterfinal games in recent memory. Both teams showed massive intent early and scored stunning goals in a game that ended 3-3. The defending champions, Manchester City, opened the scoring with less than two minutes gone on the road. However, Real Madrid showed how back-and-forth this game would be by taking the lead after 15 minutes.

Flurry of goals to open Champions League tie

Manchester City took less than 110 seconds to break the deadlock in the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu. A clumsy tackle from Aurelien Tchouameni warranted a City free kick from roughly 30 yards away. With such depth, Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin prepared for a lofted cross into the box. Lining up on the left side of his goal, City’s Bernardo Silva caught the Ukrainian out of position. A powerful low shot to the goalkeeper’s right beat Lunin, and the visitors had a stunning lead before two minutes had expired.

However, by the quarter-of-an-hour mark, Real Madrid had turned the tie around. The first goal came from Eduardo Camavinga. A long-range effort from the Frenchman took a massive deflection off City center-back Ruben Dias. Stefan Ortega had already committed to the original line, and he was helpless as the ball rolled beyond him. Two minutes later, Rodrygo found himself in alone on the Manchester City goal by getting behind City’s high line. The Brazilian slowed down as he entered the City box to face up against Manuel Akanji. Rodrygo’s shot took a slight deflection off the defender and squirmed beyond Ortega.

With City stunned, Guardiola ushered his side into the more controlling nature it has perfected over the last eight years. Unsurprisingly, Manchester City closed the first 45 minutes dominating possession of the ball. However, the dangerous chances from Real Madrid allowed the hosts to enter the break with a crucial lead.

Champions League quarterfinal classic between Man City and Real Madrid

To open the second half, both City and Real Madrid mustered half chances. The best of those came to Vinicius. A pass in behind the City defense allowed the Brazilian to run onto the ball. He took a left-footed shot with his first touch, but he blasted it above Ortega with John Stone sliding in with pressure.

With the Real Madrid lead sitting at just one goal after an hour played, Phil Foden stepped up with a piece of brilliance. City found Foden in the middle of the field just outside the Real Madrid goalkeeper’s box. Foden opened the ball up to his powerful left foot and unleashed a thunderous strike into the top left corner of the goal. It is Foden’s 22nd goal in 45 games for Manchester City this season following a hat trick against Aston Villa in his last game.

Another sensational strike restored Manchester City’s lead. Josko Gvardiol, a center-back, fired a curling right-footed shot from 20 yards away that dove past the outstretched Lunin. That was Gvardiol’s first goal for Manchester City. However, Federico Valverde would match that finish with the game’s third equalizer. A cross from Vinicius fell into the path of Federico Valverde. The Uruguayan took it first time on the volley and blasted Real Madrid’s third goal into the net.

That was the last goal of the game at the Santiago Bernabeu, with each team delivering several world-class goals. The return leg at the Etihad Stadium is on Wednesday, April 17.

PHOTOS: IMAGO