Champions League: Nervy night for Madrid, walk in the park for Man City

As expected, Real Madrid have made it into the quarter-finals of this season’s Champions League, having seen off RB Leipzig.

However, it was far from convincing for the 14-time winners, as they drew 1-1 on the night at the Santiago Bernabeu, which ensured a 2-1 victory on aggregate.

Los Blancos were dreadful in the opening 45 minutes. Leipzig dominated proceedings, and they had multiple chances to score. However, a combination of Andriy Lunin and poor finishing meant that it remained goalless until halftime.

They were made to pay for their profligacy, as Real Madrid found the breakthrough on 65 minutes. An incisive counter-attack ended with Jude Bellingham playing in Vinicius Junior, who made no mistake to open the scoring.

However, the lead lasted just three minutes, as Willi Orban headed home a fine equaliser for Leipzig from a David Raum cross. That made it 2-1 on aggregate, which created more nerves for the home side.

In the end, it mattered little, as Real Madrid were able to see things out. They will find out their quarter-final opponents next week, once the remainder of the Champions League's last 16 ties have concluded.

Elsewhere, Manchester City cruised into a seventh consecutive Champions League quarter-final as a much-changed side still put FC Copenhagen to the sword 3-1 to progress 6-2 on aggregate.

Goals from Manuel Akanji and Julian Alvarez killed the tie as a contest inside 10 minutes before Erling Haaland drilled in his 29th goal of the season.

Mohamed Elyounoussi briefly reduced the Danish champions' deficit to 2-1 on the night, but Copenhagen was outclassed over two legs as the European champions remain on course for another treble.

City are involved in a tight three-way title race at the top of the Premier League with Liverpool and Arsenal and will face Newcastle in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

Pep Guardiola showed he had one eye on Sunday's top-of-the-table clash at Liverpool as he made seven changes from the side that beat Manchester United at the weekend.

Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden, and Bernardo Silva were among those to spend 90 minutes on the bench to rest up ahead of the trip to Anfield.

But City were still a class apart and aided on their way into the last eight by some comical Copenhagen defending.

Akanji made a sweet connection with Alvarez's out-swinging corner but was given far too much room in the centre of the box to find the top corner.

Worse was to come for the visitors as former Liverpool goalkeeper Kamil Grabara let a simple shot from Alvarez slip through his grasp.

The 2,500-strong visiting support from Copenhagen refused to be downhearted as they kept a flat atmosphere at the Etihad going, and they had something to cheer on the half-hour mark.

 

Former Southampton and Celtic winger Elyounoussi drove forward with purpose and exchanged a slick one-two with Orri Oskarsson before firing into the far corner.

Haaland had been having a quiet night until he sprang into action in first-half stoppage time.

The Norwegian was picked out by Rodri before chopping onto his favoured left foot and firing in at Grabara's near post.

That took Haaland's total to 41 Champions League goals, matching the tally of City's all-time leading goalscorer Sergio Aguero, but in just 37 appearances for three different clubs.

The goals also set a record for City as they became the first side to score three or more goals in nine consecutive Champions League or European Cup home games.

Rodri's assist was his final act as the Spaniard was withdrawn at half-time to keep him fresh for the weekend.

 

City took their foot off the gas in the second period and could have been punished but for some smart goalkeeping from Ederson to deny Magnus Mattsson.

But Guardiola's men are rounding ominously into form for those trying to dethrone them in England and Europe.