News

Real Madrid’s ruthless dismissal of Manchester City encapsulated 24 hours in which the Premier League’s self-styled reputation as the best in the world suffered heavy damage.

City have a monumental job on their hands as they endured a similar – albeit less farcical – fate to Spurs, who lost 5-2 to Atletico Madrid in the Spanish capital 24 hours earlier.

Federico Valverde’s brilliant first-half hat-trick puts Real firmly in control with a 3-0 advantage before the second leg of this last-16 tie, completing a sobering set of results for the Premier League’s teams, who all have work to do to maintain their interest in Europe’s elite competition.

Chelsea fell apart in the second half as they were beaten by the same scoreline as Spurs at the hands of holders Paris St-Germain, while Liverpool lost 1-0 to Galatasaray and Arsenal and Newcastle both drew with Bayer Leverkusen and Barcelona respectively.

“Looking at the deficit for City and Chelsea that they have to overcome at home, while they will have the belief they can do it, I think the margins are far too big,” Match of the Day pundit Nedum Onuoha told BBC Sport.

“So while the game is still on for all the English sides, the margin of error is tiny for some of them now.”

The Premier League’s power was supposedly emphasised by having six teams in the last 16 following the league stage, but this was something of a cold shower hosed on talk of its supremacy as City and Chelsea were heavily beaten, following on from defeats for Liverpool and Spurs on Tuesday.

Premier League leaders Arsenal needed Kai Havertz’s last-minute penalty to scrape a draw at Bayer Leverkusen, sixth in the Bundesliga, after winning eight from eight in the league phase.

Spurs were humiliated by Atletico, Liverpool lost to Galatasaray – although Newcastle United can take credit as they were only denied victory by Barcelona’s last-gasp penalty at St James’ Park.

Some big performances are required in the second leg if boasts about the supposed superpower of the Premier League are not to be rendered hollow.

Five of those teams had first legs away from home. Chelsea, Manchester City and Spurs must all turn around three-goal deficits, although Arsenal and Liverpool are the best hopes of going through.

It was an unexpected downturn. Could it be that the heavy workload and intensity of the Premier League has taken the edge off performances when the Champions League comes around?

Taken on this evidence, the Premier League picture is not as rosy as some would suggest in the Champions League context.

It all looked so different from the newer league table format, which led to a clean sweep of Premier League teams, giving rise to suggestions they could dominate the latter stages.

Not so, as teams that made their way through the play-offs such as Bodo/Glimt, Atletico, Real, PSG and Galatasaray all impressed.

Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson, who was at the Bernabeu, told BBC Radio 5 Live: “We spoke about the England teams and dominance in Europe. Look at how easily they qualified, in the Europa and Conference leagues as well. But in the Champions League, not one English team has won.

Pep Guardiola made his intentions clear with a teamsheet packed with attacking talent, but after some early promise it played into the hands of a Real Madrid team that was depleted, but still streetwise enough to expose City’s flaws.

Real’s first goal was a prime example, City caught with a routine long clearance from keeper Thibaut Courtois that dropped over Nico O’Reilly’s head for Valverde to run on to and beat Gianluigi Donnarumma.

This was not a case of wholescale tactical and technical errors of the sort that left Spurs embarrassed across this city a day earlier, but Guardiola’s positive approach opened the door for Real, who burst through it with relish.

Real made Guardiola pay a heavy price for his ambition, with City now facing Champions League elimination at their hands for the third successive season.

Guardiola felt his side’s performance deserved better, although he admitted City now face a mammoth task to turn the tie around.

“We may not have much chance to turn it around. Of course we are going to try,” said Guardiola.

“Our game was not as bad as the result. We’ve played quite a good game. We have tried to do our best. We did not create enough chances. When you’re able to do that, it means you have followed a good process but Real Madrid are always very dangerous.”

All six English teams have now been given a lower predicted chance of reaching the last eight by Opta than before the last-16 first legs.

But Match of the Day pundit Stephen Warnock believes there is still hope for some teams.

“I think it is in Liverpool and Arsenal’s hands, far more so than the other teams,” Warnock told BBC Sport.

“Newcastle’s tie is in the balance, the deficit is too big for the other teams who are behind, because you can see the teams they face scoring against them again. Chelsea, at the back, make mistakes. City look vulnerable at the back. Spurs are all over the place.

“Out of Arsenal and Liverpool’s games, Liverpool’s is arguably the toughest, because Arsenal at home will be formidable and will play better in the second leg, while against Galatasaray, we know Liverpool are poor at the back.

“Anfield will be incredible again, in terms of atmosphere, but I still think Arne Slot’s side are susceptible and vulnerable when teams attack them.”

City have the quality to believe they can turn this tie around, although Real will be overwhelming favourites, but Spurs and Chelsea look no-hopers.

There is no guarantee interim manager Igor Tudor will still be in charge for Spurs’ return leg.

Spurs may even regard it as an inconvenience, such is their desperate Premier League plight one point above the relegation zone.

And even the scale of their loss was overshadowed by Tudor’s treatment of young goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, who was substituted after only 17 minutes following two errors which led to goals.

When Manchester City fans saw the Real Madrid line-up for Wednesday’s last-16 tie, they will have been delighted Kylian Mbappe’s name was missing altogether.

But what they didn’t anticipate was Federico Valverde having the game of his life in the first-leg tie at the Bernabeu.

When the Uruguayan scores it is often a spectacular strike, but in general Valverde is not known for his goalscoring prowess, especially when he has been utilised at right-back rather than midfield to cover injury absences.

But in 42 fabulous first-half minutes, he celebrated a first career hat-trick.

It was a sensational display by Valverde, who captained Real on the night and led by example in a crucial game for the 15-time European champions.

The reactions of team-mates Jude Bellingham and Mbappe – both out injured and watching from the stands – to the goals said it all.

England midfielder Bellingham stood open mouthed when Valverde scored his brilliant third, lifting the ball over City defender Marc Guehi before lashing a volley past keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. Mbappe jumped out of his seat to applaud a finish the prolific France striker would have been proud of.

“It was a similar [reaction] from me on the pitch,” Real full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold said on TNT Sports.

“I’ve said even as a Liverpool player I have admired him. He is undoubtedly the most underrated footballer on the planet.

This may have been a headline-grabbing display by Valverde, but he has been a key player for Real Madrid for some time now, having joined them back in 2017, but spent the first year on loan at Deportivo La Coruna.

He grew up in Montevideo and credits his tough upbringing to shaping the player he is today.

“I always talk about sacrifice. My dad instilled this in me,” Valverde said in an interview with Uefa last year.

“I could see it in my mum and dad when they went to work. Sometimes they wouldn’t eat so I could instead.

“I always try to imitate what I saw when I was a child. Now it allows me to sacrifice myself for the team.”

Valverde has played on some of the best pitches in the world, but it was not always like that when he was a child.

“In general they were pretty rubbish, dirt pitches,” he recalled. “Even animals would graze upon them.”

Those humble beginnings have created a character who is passionate, energetic and provides effort, desire and commitment – all of which were evident in that stunning display against City.

Former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha felt Valverde was the difference between the two sides.

“Valverde has been incredible in attack and defence,” he said. “He has been ruthless in attack and superbly disciplined in helping Trent Alexander-Arnold in defence.”

The statistics highlight just how rare and special a performance like this was from Valverde:

Valverde is not always the headline act for Real Madrid, but unquestionably one of the team’s most versatile and reliable players. On Wednesday night, he deservedly took the headlines.

This isn’t the first time he’s stepped up in big moments either.

Last Friday, in Real’s La Liga fixture at Celta Vigo, with the game at 1-1, he claimed a 94th-minute winner to keep their title hopes alive.

In the 39 games he’s played this season, he’s started 37, with his versatility impressing boss Alvaro Arbeloa as he covers defensive and midfield positions.

Valverde covers huge distances in every match, presses opponents, recovers the ball and drives Madrid forward.

Currently, Valverde is Real’s second captain after Dani Carvajal, a recognition of the standing he has earned in the dressing room and trust of the coaching staff.

It hasn’t been an easy season for him.

With Carvajal and Alexander-Arnold injured for large parts of the season, the Uruguayan was forced to play at full-back, despite his preference to play centrally in midfield.

“I have played many positions. I always try and give the best of myself and do what the coach asks,” he said on the eve of the City game. “I try and go forward, try and play on the wing, defence. Sometimes I have to do adapt. For me, that’s key.”

However, there’s no doubt Valverde has found brilliant form on the flanks and with Alexander-Arnold and Carvajal returning to the squad, they have linked up exceptionally.

It was ironic he told media on Tuesday he “wanted to keep the fans happy and proud”.

Pedro Neto has apologised for pushing over a ball boy during Chelsea’s 5-2 defeat by Paris St‑Germain in the Champions League.

The 26-year-old was seen putting two hands on the young ball boy in stoppage time of the last-16 first-leg tie, causing him to fall on to a chair and sparking a mass altercation between both teams at Parc des Princes on Wednesday night.

Asked about the incident on TNT Sports after the game, Neto said: “I want to apologise to the ball boy. I have already spoken to him.

“We were losing and in the emotion of the game I wanted to get the ball fast and I gave him a little push.

“I’m not like this. It was in the heat of the moment and I want to apologise. I gave him my shirt. I’m really sorry about it – I feel I have to apologise to him.

“My French is not very good, and [Portugal team-mate] Vitinha came over and said to him I was not like this.

“At the end he [the ball boy] laughed and I gave him my shirt and said sorry about 35 times. He could see what had happened and was happy with the situation.”

It is unclear whether Neto will face any further punishment by Uefa, but his actions came during a wider Chelsea collapse.

Head coach Liam Rosenior echoed the apology, adding: “I saw there was an altercation with the ball boy. But if there was anything from our side that was wrong or out of order, I apologise on behalf of the club.

Frustrations spilled over after the game when goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen, starting ahead of Robert Sanchez, wanted to walk straight down the tunnel.

Eventually Sanchez convinced the Denmark international to go and applaud the travelling Chelsea fans, and after the game Rosenior said the goalkeeper “held his hands up in the dressing room” after a costly mistake allowed PSG to regain the lead for the third time in a thrilling match.

Ultimately, two late goals from substitute Khvicha Kvaratskhelia exposed further flaws in Chelsea’s concentration and discipline – issues Rosenior was keen to emphasise.

“The last 15, 20 minutes were crazy in many aspects,” he continued. “That’s on me. I need to be better in moments – setbacks, mistakes happen.

“But you have to stay calm in the moment, me included. And we didn’t, and we were punished by a very good team, which makes the scoreline a painful one because for 75 minutes we were in the tie and in the game.

“It’s something we’ve spoken about from my first day coming in – about reacting positively, about staying calm in pressure moments, and it’s not happened. We won’t reach our potential and it’s my job to find the answer.”