The victory was all the more impressive given that Madrid entered the tie missing key figures such as Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham. Despite Opta’s supercomputer favoring Manchester City before kick-off, Los Blancos produced a tactical masterclass to secure their 29th first-leg victory of three or more goals in their illustrious European history.
“Massive performance,” Alexander-Arnold added. “A lot of the noise when the draw was made and leading up to this game, especially with the way we have been playing and the results we have had... a lot of people expected us to get battered tonight. But it shows the mentality. It doesn't matter what injuries we have got or players out. This competition matters a lot to the club and as players we understand that.”