Real Madrid achieved a great result by defeating Manchester City 3-0 in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, although this lead could have been even bigger if Vinicius Jr. hadn’t missed a penalty.
It was an outstanding performance from Fede Valverde, who scored a hat-trick in the first half-enough to put the tie firmly in favor of Real Madrid. The second leg will decide everything on March 17 at the Etihad Stadium, home of Manchester City.
A negative record for Vinicius Jr. matching Cristiano Ronaldo
The Brazilian player had the chance to make it 4-0, but Gianluigi Donnarumma prevented the scoreline from becoming even more lopsided. It was the same Italian goalkeeper who denied him by saving the shot after committing the foul himself.
At that moment, Vinicius Jr. recorded his second missed penalty in the Champions League with Real Madrid, equaling the two that Cristiano Ronaldo had in this regard-though the difference lies in the number of attempts each had.
The Portuguese star took 16 penalties during his Real Madrid career in the Champions League, while “Vini” has only had the opportunity four times in European competition. In this category, the leader is Ruud van Nistelrooy with three misses in five attempts, followed by Luis Figo with three misses in 13 penalties in the UEFA Champions League.
The 3-0 scoreline at the Santiago Bernabéu also matched one of the worst defeats Pep Guardiola has suffered in the first leg of a Champions League knockout tie.
Pep Guardiola’s worst defeats in the first leg of a knockout tie:
- Barcelona 3-0 Bayern (May 6, 2015)
- Liverpool 3-0 City (April 4, 2018)
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