Real Madrid 3-0 Manchester City, UEFA Champions League RO16 Highlights: Federico Valverde Shocks Cityzens At Bernabeu

Welcome to our live coverage. This is the start of our blog.

Real Madrid faces a massive selection crisis for the first leg against Manchester City. Manager Alvaro Arbeloa is without superstars Kylian Mbappe (knee), Jude Bellingham (hamstring), and Rodrygo (ACL).

Defensively, Eder Militão, David Alaba, and Alvaro Carreras are also sidelined, leaving nearly half the strongest XI unavailable.

Matches played: 15

Real Madrid wins: 5

Manchester City wins: 5

Draws: 5

Goals scored: RMA 26-25 MCI

And we are underway at the Santiago Bernabeu for the first-half of this mouth watering clash. Real wear their traditional white colours while City wear their 4th kit.

Manchester City nearly created a scoring opportunity with Jeremy Doku darting inside the Real Madrid box with intent to dribble past players and score alone but he meets a defender on the way.

Doku had Antoine Semenyo on his right but he could not pass in time.

What an action packed first few minutes it has been as both the teams have gone for the attack, but Manchester City are looking hungry for the win. It appears as if Jeremy Doku will cause a lot of problems to Trent Alexander Arnold throughout the night.

Los Blancos had an opening of their own when the front line combined together with calm but Brahim Diaz's surprising shot was dealt by Donnarumma.

Raw pace from Jeremy Doku - the Belgian is on fire tonight. He looks unstoppable and it won't be shocking to see if his involved for City's opening goal. It should have arrived by now but they are knocking on the door.

Terrible terrible way to concede a goal. Manchester City have been left shocked against the run of play as Federico Valverde scores the opening goal.

The Uruguayan is played the long ball by Curtois and he does well to get past Nico O'Reilly and Gianluigi Donnarumma. He sees an open net with no defender on sight and just nudges the ball inside.

Incredible. Real Madrid entered this fixture without their key players in certain position but look at them, they are leading 2-0, thanks to their captain Federico Valverde who scores a brace now to put his side ahead.

Poor defending from City.

Manchester City are starting to grow into the game but that first goal is missing for them as we hit the 40-minute mark. Bernardo Silva delivers the corner but it's been headed away and Real Madrid win a free kick for Marc Guehi's push on Ferland Mendy.

Manchester City concede their third, would you believe that? Federico Valverde completes his hat-trick and Real Madrid continue to break on counter attacks. The Cityzens had a bright start but look at the scoreline now 3-0. Let that sink in.

The 1st half comes to an end and what a performance from Real Madrid. They have surely blown Manchester City away and if the visitors do not score in the next 45 minutes, their job will become very difficult in the return leg at the Etihad.

Both the teams make a change each for 2nd half. Real Madrid bring on Fran Garcia for Ferland Mendy while Manchester City have put on Tijjani Reijnders in place of Savinho.

It is going from bad to worse for Manchester City as Real Madrid now get a penalty through Gianluigi Donnarumma's challenge and Vinicius Jr. stands over the ball. But it's saved.

That was too casual from Vinicius and Donnarumma went the right way. The Italian might have kept his team on the game with this save.

Manchester City are preparing to bring Rayan Cherki onto the pitch and he is the only player in this City team who is capable of changing the course of the match.

Gosh! Manchester City were agonizingly close to scoring their first of the night but Thibaut Curtois, what a night he has had, the Belgian denies with his right foot that he somehow manages to get to block Nico O'Reilly's dink.

Looks like Manchester City will have to do all the hard work in the return leg at the Etihad Stadium as the time tonight has run out and Real Madrid have been too good.

That's it, the 4 minutes have run out and Manchester City will have to wait for 6 days to stage a possible comeback.