Rabat – Real Madrid delivered on Wednesday night a statement win at the Bernabeu, beating Manchester City 3-0 in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.
The night belonged to Federico Valverde, who scored the first hat-trick of his career and set the tone for arguably one of the best performances in Champions League history.
Valverde opened the scoring in the 20th minute, racing onto a long ball from Thibaut Courtois and finishing past Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Valverde magic 🪄
Kvara special strike 😮💨
Enzo Fernández clinical finish 👏
Vitinha lob 😍Which goal is your favourite? ⚽️#UCLGOTD | @Heineken pic.twitter.com/6wmGupNYvM
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 11, 2026
Seven minutes later, he doubled the lead after latching onto a deflected pass from Vinicius Junior. His third goal came just before half-time, and that was the highlight, a clever flick over Marc Guehi, followed by a crisp volley.
Madrid could have added a fourth when Vinicius won a penalty, but Donnarumma saved it. City pushed after the break, yet Courtois denied them with key stops, including one from Nico O’reilly.
This was Arbeloa’s biggest night on the Madrid bench since taking charge in January. The rookie coach had been under pressure after a league defeat to Getafe, but his bold choices, including starting teenager Thiago Pitarch for his first Champions League game, paid off.
Arbeloa stressed before the game that Madrid never feel inferior in the Champions League, and his players backed up those words with intensity and belief.
Speaking afterwards, Arbeloa said the win was “better than the media thought anyway,” praising his players for their efforts and resilience.
He pointed to Valverede as the model of a modern madrid player, calling him “a prototype of the 21st century footballer.”
Pep Guardiola admitted his side played better than the scoreline suggested but accepted Madrid’s ability to punish mistakes. His attacking line-up left gaps, and once Valverde struck, City never recovered their rhythm.
The result leaves Madrid in control, but Arbeloa warned that the second leg at the Etihad will be a different challenge. City must now surmount a three-goal deficit against a team that thrives on Champions League nights.
Madrid will now be turning to La Liga, hosting Elche on March 14, while City face West Ham away on the same day in the Premier League.
