It was all drama in the Champions League last night as Man City squandered a 2-1 lead to Real Madrid to ultimately concede two late goals and lose 3-2 at the Etihad in the play-offs.
And it was not good news for the bookies either, with bet365 taking a massive hit thanks to Jude Bellingham’s last minute winner.
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Real Madrid were 13/5 to win before the start of the game which appealed to many before a ball was kicked as the 15-time champions came up against a City side that have been difficult to predict of late.
Man City went ahead twice thanks to Erling Haaland with each time seeing Madrid drift in the odds.
As time started to dwindle, Madrid traded at a high of 66/1 which of course came in in typical late Champions League drama.
Something that Real Madrid are certainly renowned for in this competition, having often found a way to make dramatic comebacks.
It was the exact same score line with a dramatic comeback in 2012 and even as recently as May 2022 in the semi-finals second leg of the UCL a similar outcome favoured the Spanish side.
Man City were 1-0 up looking to go into the final with 90 minutes on the clock, up 4-3 on aggregate.
Real Madrid somehow scored three stoppage time goals via Rodrygo and Karim Benzema, in the 90th, 91st and 95th minutes to give them a life line, potential extra time to winning the whole thing to see them through to the final.
Bet365’s Steve Freeth explained: “We’ve been on a decent run but we got a right mauling on Tuesday night suffering our worst result of the UEFA Champions League campaign at the Etihad with a monster swing in the 3-2 thriller.
“Real Madrid were attractively priced at 13/5 pre game despite Manchester City’s troubles, so we were sitting pretty at 2-1 with the visitors trading at 66/1 but the two late goals have really hurt us.
“What had gone from a dream scenario for us quickly turned into a nightmare, with Jude Bellingham scoring a stoppage-time winner.
“Five goals, Haaland, Mbappe and Bellingham all on the scoresheet and a Real Madrid win means we’re very much licking our wounds this morning!”
The dramatic turnaround also has significant implications in the outright market, with Real Madrid second favourites behind Liverpool.
Freeth added: “Carlo Ancelotti’s men have been well backed throughout the campaign to win a record-extending 16th UEFA Champions League. Although the Italian has had to tweak his system to accommodate both Vinicius and Mbappe, seemingly to the detriment to the side as a whole, Real remain impossible to write off in Europe.
“Even in last season’s semi-final they needed an 88th-minute equaliser from Joselu to force what we thought would be extra-time, before the veteran popped up with a second in stoppage time.”
“City will now need a Real Madrid-esque miracle of their own to avoid being dumped out prior to the last-16 for the first time since 2012/13, and are as big as 20/1 to win a second European crown, with Real Madrid 5/1 behind only Liverpool who remain 4/1 favourites.”
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