Vinicius Junior began the night with a reminder of his Ballon d’Or heartbreak but ended it by proving why Real Madrid remains a force in the UEFA Champions League. The Brazilian forward played a crucial role in Madrid’s dramatic 3-2 victory over Manchester City in the first leg of their play-off round clash on Tuesday.
City twice took the lead at the Etihad Stadium, but Madrid responded each time before Jude Bellingham snatched a stoppage-time winner, courtesy of an assist from Vinicius.
City’s Taunt Backfires
Before kickoff, City fans unfurled a giant banner featuring Rodri holding the Ballon d’Or, a pointed reference to the Spanish midfielder winning the award in October 2024 ahead of Vinicius. The display also carried the message, “Stop crying your heart out,” a nod to the song by Manchester band Oasis.
Madrid had previously reacted angrily to Rodri’s triumph, boycotting the ceremony in protest. On Tuesday, City fans continued the taunts, chanting, “Where’s your Ballon d’Or?” at Vinicius. The Brazilian responded by pointing to the Champions League badge on his sleeve, symbolizing Madrid’s record 15 European Cup titles.
Madrid’s Fighting Spirit Prevails
Despite the early mind games, it was City who ended the night in frustration. Erling Haaland put the Premier League champions ahead, only for Kylian Mbappé to equalize. Haaland then restored City’s lead from the penalty spot, but Madrid refused to back down.
In the 86th minute, Vinicius saw his shot saved, allowing Brahim Díaz to pounce on the rebound to make it 2-2. Then, in the 92nd minute, Vinicius burst into the box, lofting the ball over Ederson for Bellingham to convert from close range, sealing another famous late comeback for Madrid.
‘More Strength’ – Vinicius
Speaking after the match, Vinicius admitted he had seen City’s banner but used it as motivation.
“Whenever opposition fans do things like that, it gives me more strength to have a great game, and today I did that,” he told Movistar. “They know our history and everything we’ve done in this competition.”
While it was not a vintage Vinicius performance, his persistent attacking runs earned him the Man of the Match award. Now, with the second leg at the Santiago Bernabéu next Wednesday, the Brazilian is already eyeing another big performance.
“It doesn’t matter who scores or who is MVP—we are here to achieve great things for this club and take Madrid as high as possible,” he said. “There’s a long way to go in the second leg, and we need our fans to create a magical night.”
With Madrid’s history of late comebacks in Europe, City will have to be wary of another potential upset at the Bernabéu.
