and we find ourselves at one of the most iconic venues in world football the santiago bernabeu
here on the spanish capital madrid derek ray here at the comedy position
and i'm joined as always by lee dixon and we've got so much to look forward to
this is where it all begins in europe's premier club competition the uefa champions league
the group stage match day one action it's real madrid facing manchester city well derek i hope
you are as excited as me to start the champions league always a special atmosphere both teams
will be hoping for a long journey or it may be very very short we're about to find out
so
is
and the starting players for real madrid tebow courtois begins in goal tony cross plays with
casimiro in the center of the pitch and leading the line today is karim benzema
and so they starting 11 for manchester city
stylistically they are a side designed to almost cherish the ball do you expect to see more of that
lee yeah absolutely derek it's great to watch not so nice to play against just when you think
you've got a chance of winning it bang it's gone so are the men and they're in behind you
oh nice ball marco ascencio oh that's a really good authoritative tackle throw in here casemiro
lucas vasquez is it is to be a throw in
gundogan
gabriel jesus gundogan
they've won back possession
jack grealish and back with gunduan
showing patience as well as persistence in the build-up
alexander zinchenko the brainerd in the center
did well to win the ball back it's very attractive attacking football and mares comes into things now
stones gunduan accurate pass upon accurate pass
gundogan here's gabriel jesus well a moment he would dearly love to have back well
listen he's trying to hit it too hard just relax a little bit focus on your technique
tony course
marco ascencio mrs cross they all find themselves in a position of menace
excellent position taken up by invape and it's in one nail they've reached the defense
well here's the replay and as we see it's a class ball through to split the defense and when he gets
through to the keeper he just smashes it past it he gives him no chance to think lovely finish
the opening goal of the game then
the referee has decided to give the free kick decision the way of city
clumps clear
lucas vasquez
let's go he's in behind well no pressure on the keeper across
well as you can see real madrid haven't had too much of the ball
but when they've had the ball they keep delivering the sucker punch a great advert for low possession
counter-attacking football it's really working and it's gone out for a throw-in to real madrid
options in the middle and cross failed to hold it
and they all come away with it asensio now he has players waiting at the back post punched away
very much adoption
failure to keep it there from gunduan
tony course
not showing good defensive judgments
there will be one minute added on at the end possession and patience the watchwords zinchenko
might really be able to trouble them here a city free kick forthcoming
and fired from the flank into the area
and the danger is averted and that is that half time here in the spanish capital
you've certainly got to give this man high marks for his work up to this pointley
well derek he certainly was a good 45 minutes from the land obviously
got the goal to give him the lead but he's looked very very lively as well
champions league group stage match day one contest commences
room now out on the flank lucas vasquez
clear foul but a well that's a foul and it sets up a free kick in a dangerous position
uh
suffice it to say that wasn't a high quality free kick
practice makes perfect i think he's had a week off
he's protecting it effectively stones
here is marco asensio and here it is for isco and he clears it out of harm's way
joao cancello
city controlling the lion's share of possession but after that it's been disappointing i'd like
to see them use those wide areas around the defense and he's in pivotal moment defensively
of course
nacho fernandez lucas vasquez
isco and well wasted opportunity here would have been a decent chance but offside the verdict
a change
in possession marcelo
do they mean business on this occasion let's fly here and a certain routine save
robbery
gabriel jesus racing forward trying to catch them out
the ball with rodri and it's ruben diaz well it's one pass after another
tremendously strong in the tackle
gundam gabrielle jesus
high quality defending
and the throw in for manchester city it'll be
and manchester city will go to their bench
could cross it in here menzie
tremendous block
and bernardo silva has it now the flag has gone up here offside it is
well real madrid have certainly worked hard to be in front here it's been anything but easy this
game the fans can sense that to the crank benzema and still a chance well punch happy the keeper
another goal from this corner would in all likelihood secure victory
and in by luka modric oh tremendous block
well that's the end of that for now
bernardo silva
and just the one minute left in normal time here manchester city have work to
do but is it going to happen for them well they had a decent reading of that ball in
and there is the full-time whistle real madrid pick up all three points in this the opening match
in the champions league well it's everything you want from the start of match one good
strong start that result will give everybody confidence especially the players well done
well just the sort of performance they were looking for from the talented
killian vape he's always a man to watch for the opposition but
they couldn't keep tabs on him in that vital moment when he grabbed that goal