Stroke of genius, skylight on a step and crazy volley: the crazy goals of Real Madrid-Manchester City deciphered

It was perhaps the match that should not be missed this season in the Champions League. Between the two current behemoths of European football, Real Madrid and Manchester City, the spectacle was quite sensational from the first to the last minute. And if we cannot always judge the quality of a match by the beauty of its goals, four of the six scored on Tuesday evening are simply remarkable. Here’s something to see them again and appreciate them even more.

Episode 1: the genius (free) move by Bernardo Silva (0-1, 2nd minute)

Bernardo Silva has long been nominated in the category of the most beautiful players to watch play in the world. The technically brilliant Portuguese winger is also blessed with great vision of the game and rare intelligence. He showed it once again this Tuesday evening, at Santiago Bernabeu. While we were barely playing the second minute of the match, the former Monaco player surprised everyone by taking a direct free kick relatively far and to the side that everyone imagined rather as a cross “in the box “.

What is remarkable is first of all his collection of information. Bernardo Silva, well 30 meters away from the Real Madrid goal and eccentric on the left side, realizes that the opposing goalkeeper has chosen not to really form a wall, by placing Vinicius alone in opposition to the shooter. Real’s goalkeeper, Lumin, places himself far to the left of his goal, leaving the entire right side, that of the shooter, open. Even stronger, Silva suspects that the incoming runs of the numerous players placed in the area will hinder the goalkeeper’s visibility when the ball leaves.

And that’s what happens. The ball goes strong, without gaining too much height, to the right of Vinicus. Lumin, surprised by the Portuguese’s choice, does not see the start and only begins to dive when he arrives within his 5 meters. It’s already too late.

Episode 2: Foden’s “one step” skylight

At this point in the match, Real Madrid had already gone back in front for a long time, thanks to two somewhat fortunate goals from Camavinga and Rodrygo. The European champion has not yet given up and will respond with one of his local talents, Phil Foden. The 23-year-old winger, also a formidable ball player, will plant a magnificent shot into the top corner at the edge of the area.

The gesture almost seems simple because it is so fluid. Everything actually happens in his ball control: if he receives the ball while being sideways to Lumin’s goal, the orientation of the inside of his foot brings the ball directly to the left of his body, his strong side, and puts him just at the right distance so that he can follow up and arm a strike “on a step”, as we would say in rugby. The rest is obviously a diabolical precision which leaves the Real defense without reaction, a little late on the spot.

Episode 3: Gvardiol’s bad foot (2-3, 71st)

It is, and this is almost the irony, not even the best goal of the evening. But this is undoubtedly the most unexpected: four minutes after Phil Foden, Croatian defender Josko Gvardiol scored an almost identical goal, on the other side. His first goal with City, a superb shot from the right, he was left-handed.

Taking advantage of good work on the left by Grealish to fix Carvajal, Gvardiol offered a solution behind, on the left. His control, although a little subdued, offers him a perfect striking situation: Valverde is too far away, the ball advances parallel to the line of the area. It’s not a defender’s move, but his shot is perfectly brushed to caress Lunin’s small opposite net. An attacker could hardly have done better!

Episode 4: Federico Valverde, the perfect volley (79th, 3-3)

It seems easy, when you see it like that: this cross from Vinicius which seems to float eternally in the air, the obvious encounter with Valverde’s foot, the perfect trajectory which makes the strike unstoppable. But there are undoubtedly few more difficult moves in football than this successful volley by the Uruguayan, especially at this moment, especially to allow Real to get back to 3-3 in this match.

Vinicius’ ball, well served by Modric after a Madrid recovery which followed a poorly kicked six-yarder by Ortega, is obviously perfect. While the entire defensive line, four defenders, Rodri and Foden, are hypnotized by his feet and waiting for the dribble, the Brazilian saw Valverde escape the vigilance of Kovacic and Gvardiol on the left side. It then takes all the talent, sense of timing and balance of “Second post Federico” to turn that into a goal.