Some Manchester City fans took a not-so-subtle dig at Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr during Tuesday’s Champions League playoff game, displaying a banner showing City midfielder Rodri with the Ballon d’Or trophy beside the caption, “Stop crying your heart out.”

But Vinicius, who said he believed his activism against racism led to him not winning the prestigious award last year, used the mocking banner as fuel, helping Jude Bellingham score a late winner as Real clinched a 3-2 victory in the first leg of the tie.

“Yes, I saw it. At times the opposing fans do things which spur me on to put in a great performance. I did that again here tonight and we managed to win the game,” said player-of-the-match Vinicius.

Real had cancelled their plans to attend the Ballon d’Or ceremony in anticipation of Vinicius not winning the men’s award, with several teammates and former Real Madrid striker Cristiano Ronaldo saying the Brazil international deserved to win.

Vinicius went on to win the FIFA player of the year 2024 award in December.

“We have to get back to Madrid and our fans will make it special,” Vinicius said after Tuesday’s win.

“The return leg will be tough but we have to keep this up and defend like we did tonight to ensure another magical night in front of our fans.”

Defending champions Real host City in the second leg game next Wednesday.

-Reuters

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PSV Eindhoven felt they should have taken more from Tuesday’s Champions League away clash against Juventus where they conceded a late goal to go down 2-1 in the first leg of their Champions League knockout phase playoff tie on Tuesday.

The Dutch club fought their way back into the game after being 1-0 down at halftime but saw Juventus substitute Samuel Mbangula snatch an 82nd-minute winner

“I think it’s a shame,” PSV coach Peter Bosz said afterwards. “I didn’t think it was necessary to lose. Why did it happen? Because it’s a top match and these kinds of game usually turn on small details. And we came up short on two or three of them.”

Weston McKennie gave the Italian giants the lead but PSV were level early in the second half when veteran Ivan Perisic equalised.

“I think it was an unnecessary loss,” added Bosz. “We had a hard time in the first five minutes but after that, I thought we had a grip on the match. We dared to play football and the first big chance came our way.

“We scored a great goal to make the score 1-1. Then it’s a shame that you give it away like this.”

Mbangula’s goal came after PSV goalkeeper Walter Benítez parried the ball into the path of the replacement striker, who had an easy finish.

But besides pointing out errors, Bosz praised the performance of Croatian international Perisic who turned 36 at the start of the month.

“I think what he showed was very special. Not only because he scored, but I think was a very well-taken goal.”

PSV hosts the return leg at Eindhoven’s Philips Stadion next Wednesday, February 19.

-Reuters

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Real Madrid Manager Carlo Ancelotti said Manchester City was the worst possible rival Real Madrid could have been drawn against in the Champions League playoff and described the preparation process for the showdown as a nightmare.

As he braces for another high-stakes contest at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday, when the winners of the last three titles face-off for the fourth consecutive season in the knockout phase, Ancelotti thinks Real vs City has become Europe’s biggest continental rivalry.

“It feels like a modern classic because we’ve been playing against each other in this competition for many years,” Ancelotti told a press conference on Monday.

“I think it’s going to be as entertaining and evenly matched as ever. So much depends on attitude, individual quality, confidence and personality. It’s such a high-level that you have to bring out the best in every aspect of the game, not just one.

“Whoever goes through will have a good chance of going far in the competition, as has been the case in recent years.”

Ancelotti talks from experience as his side won the title in 2022 and last year after eliminating City, who reached the final in 2021 before finally claiming their first European crown in 2023.

Ancelotti dismissed the idea that his side would be facing a weakened opponent compared to the previous years, with City languishing fifth in the Premier League, 15 points adrift of leaders Liverpool, calling Pep Guardiola the best coach in the world.

Real and City failed to advance automatically to the last 16 as one of the top eight sides in the new Champions League format and will clash in a two-legged playoff in which one of the tournament’s top contenders will be eliminated early.

“The reality is that’s always a headache (playing against Manchester City),” Ancelotti said.

“Guardiola is a coach who has brought a lot to football, an innovator and I have a lot of respect for him. He’s one of the best, if not the best. Every time we play against each other, it’s a nightmare to prepare for the games, because he always has ideas that make you think.

“City are still one of the best teams in Europe, they have the best coach and they are the toughest rival we could have been playing against.”

-Reuters

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