Real Madrid have this evening been dealt a considerable blow on the personnel front.
As much was forthcoming during the opening exchanges of the club’s showdown with Manchester City.
Carlo Ancelotti’s troops are of course currently locked in action, on the continent.
After being sent packing by the Premier League champions in the semi-finals of the competition last season, Real have welcomed the aforementioned City to Spain’s capital, for the Champions League quarter-final opener between the clubs.
Safe to say, however, that the La Liga table-toppers’ pursuit of revenge could not have gotten off to a much worse start.
With just 30 seconds on the clock, Aurélien Tchouaméni floored Jack Grealish in unceremonious fashion outside the hosts’ penalty area.
And a booking quickly followed, enough to rule the France international out of the tie’s 2nd leg at The Etihad owing to an accumulation of yellow cards.
Incredibly, Bernardo Silva then went on to direct the ensuing free-kick beyond Andriy Lunin, albeit with Real having since turned things around, through goals on the part of Eduardo Camavinga, and Rodrygo.
Conor Laird | GSFN
