The first leg of the Champions League semi-final between Real Madrid and Manchester City saw both teams playing out a 1-1 draw at the Santiago Bernabéu on Tuesday. The match was a highly anticipated encounter, with two of football’s greatest managers, Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola, pitting their wits against each other.

Manchester City started strongly and controlled the pitch for much of the first half, enjoying 74% possession after 25 minutes. They had several chances to take the lead, with Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland coming close to scoring. In contrast, Madrid’s attack was largely lifeless, with only one shot in the first half.

Despite City’s dominance, it was Madrid who took the lead against the run of play. Luka Modrić set up Eduardo Camavinga on the counter-attack, and Vinícius scored from range to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.

City came out strongly in the second half, with De Bruyne and Haaland threatening to equalize. De Bruyne eventually scored a stunning goal from range to level the scoreline. Both teams continued to press for a winner, with Benzema coming close for Madrid and Ederson denying his header and a long-range effort from Aurélien Tchouaméni.

The draw means that the tie is still finely poised going into the second leg. Either team could progress to the final, and the stage is set for another exciting encounter between these two European giants

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