Haaland fails to deliver cutting edge as Real’s will to power shines through

ep Guardiola had talked about the need to suffer before this game. OK then. It’s a deal. This was a gripping, gruelling, sky blue migraine of a football match, one thatreally didn’t deserve to lose, but which somehow always felt like it was slipping from their grasp even during a second half when City seemed to be very slowly, carefully, methodically pulling the legs off this Real Madrid team.. But City still played like champions of Europe for long periods.

Haaland’s game in numbers doesn’t look great: five shots, one on target; five passes in 90 minutes. But he actually played pretty well by his own recent standards. He looped a header on to the bar. He bullied Nacho a little, using his physicality as a pressing weapon, something he hasn’t always done.

This was by no means this purely his doing. Jack Grealish ran a lot, and also stopped and jinked inside a lot. He has one Premier League assist this season. Phil Foden has carried the midfield goal threat but was on the periphery here.

And Madrid were good in the opening half hour. Carlo Ancelotti strolled his touchline, all in black, white shirt, three quarter length wool overcoat, looking like a billionaire undertaker. The deep blue shirts sat deep, unfazed by City’s stretching of the pitch, ready to play in small packs when they took the ball.The weather changed at the break. City came out like a train, pressing high.

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