March 12, 2026 | 07:00 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Real Madrid defeated Manchester City in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, early Thursday morning, March 12, 2026. Federico Valverde scored three goals in the first half to give the Spanish giants a 3-0 lead.
Valverde opened the scoring for Real Madrid in the 21st minute. This goal came courtesy of a pass from goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Standing on the right wing, he received Courtois' pass, then carried the ball into the box, past City defenders and goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma before slotting it into the net. Seven minutes later, he scored his second goal after firing a pass from Vinicius Junior that was heading towards goal.
Then, two minutes before the end of normal time, Valverde scored his third goal. This time, he swiftly advanced through a tight space between two City players to meet Brahim Diaz's ball, then finished with a shot into the net, forcing Donnarumma to pick the ball out of his net for the third time.
In the second half, Real Madrid had a golden opportunity to extend their lead through a penalty kick after Donnarumma was fouled while trying to stop Vinicius' attack. However, Vinicius failed to convert. His penalty kick was saved by the City goalkeeper.
Real Madrid won the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 3-0. This result gives Alvaro Arbeloa confidence ahead of the second leg at City's home ground on Wednesday morning WIB next week. If they can maintain their lead, Vinicius and his teammates will advance to the quarterfinals of the European Championship.
Valverde's Comments
Valverde was named Man of the Match in the Real Madrid vs. Man City match. UEFA's Technical Observers explained the reasoning. "In addition to his stunning hat trick, he was dynamic, excellent in his decision-making, and exceptional in linking defense and attack. He showed consistency with and without the ball," as reported by UEFA.
"It's extraordinary. Everyone dreams of a night like this," said Valverde, speaking to Movistar, as quoted by UEFA. The Uruguayan midfielder thanked his teammates for their support, which gave him the confidence to be ambitious and strong-minded. He also expressed his gratitude to the staff who have guided the players throughout the season.
He described his performance in Real Madrid's victory over City as his best. "Scoring, of course. I really enjoyed today—it's been a long time since I've had a moment like this playing football," he said. "I'm happy, very happy, but the most important thing is the team's victory."
Real Madrid advanced to the Champions League round of 16 after defeating Benfica 3-1 on aggregate in the playoffs. The team with the most European Championship wins, with 15 times, cannot qualify directly due to their ninth-place finish in the league standings. With a three-goal advantage over City, Los Blancos maintain their chances of adding to their trophy collection.
Read: Champions League Round of 16: Draw Details and Match Schedule
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