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Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand believes Manchester City star Jack Grealish could have had a career-defining moment had he scored against Real Madrid.
Real Madrid and Manchester City squared off in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final matchup on Wednesday night (4 May). Having secured a 4-3 in last week’s first leg at the Etihad, Pep Guardiola’s team were the favorites to progress to the finals.
The scales tipped further in their favor when Riyad Mahrez scored at the Santiago Bernabeu to double their aggregate advantage with just 17 minutes remaining. In typical fashion, however, Los Blancos found their way back into the game, courtesy of a Rodrygo brace in the closing minutes of regulation time.
With the aggregate scoreline level at 5-5, the match went into extra time, where a Karim Benzema penalty condemned City to a 3-1 defeat on the night.
The Citizens had their fair share of chances to kill the game in regulation time, a couple of which fell to their record signing (£100 million) Jack Grealish. His first effort, which came in the 87th minute, was heroically saved off the line by Ferland Mendy. Moments later, Real keeper Thibaut Courtois made a brilliant save to deny him.
According to Ferdinand, the chances were of paramount importance for Grealish, asserting that taking them would have instantaneously changed the Englishman’s fortunes.
The former Manchester City defender told BT Sport (via Manchester Evening News):
“That changes everything for Jack Grealish in a Manchester City shirt. Whether you think he's been good or bad or average, that would've changed everything.”
Grealish, who moved to City from Aston Villa last summer, has featured in 36 games across competitions for his new employers, recording five goals and three assists.
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois wins Man of the Match Award against Manchester City
The papers may very well be filled with Rodrygo’s heroics, but it was Courtois who was adjudged the Man of the Match. The Belgian shot-stopper made a plethora of fine saves on Wednesday night, keeping Real Madrid alive even during City’s good spells.
He probably could have done better to guard his near post for Mahrez’s goal, but his other saves more than made up for it.
The former Chelsea man made a whopping eight saves at the Bernabeu, with four of those shots coming from inside the box. He also rushed off his line once to sweep the ball away and accurately delivered ten long balls.
It was a memorable performance by the former Chelsea star.
