•Iheanacho sees action for 49 minutes
Manchester City and Real Madrid played out a goalless draw in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night.
The home side shaded the first 45 minutes, but had to survive a strong finish from Real Madrid, who will now enter next week’s second leg at the Bernabeu as the favourites to make another European final.
Cristiano Ronaldo failed a late fitness test for Real Madrid, with a thigh problem preventing the Portuguese from featuring on his return to Manchester. Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema, however, both overcame knocks to start.
It was Man City that made the brighter start to proceedings in the north of England, with Fernando and Fernandinho helping the home side win the midfield battle against a Real Madrid side that were a little untidy in possession of the ball.
The clock hit 20 minutes and neither side had come close to working the opposition goalkeeper, but Real Madrid were starting to make ground in a wide position as Bale and Vasquez saw more of the ball in dangerous positions.
Man City threatened during a five-minute spell in the build-up to the half-hour mark and De Bruyne had a powerful strike blocked by Carvajal as Real Madrid continued to concede possession in dangerous positions.
Bale decided to try his luck for the visitors 10 minutes before the interval after finding a yard of space, but the Welshman’s long-range strike deflected into the arms of Joe Hart, who had a very comfortable opening 35 minutes.
De Bruyne was the player making things happen for Man City in the final third, but Real Madrid’s defensive shape made it very difficult for the Belgian to release Aguero, who had a very quiet first half of action.
The biggest cheer of the half came in the 40th minute when Kelechi Iheanacho was introduced for the home side, but it was a big blow for Man City as Silva limped off the pitch with a hamstring problem.
The visitors made one change at the interval, with Jese Rodriguez replacing Benzema, who was clearly struggling with a recent knee injury in the opening half of action. It was Jese that went through the middle for Los Blancos, allowing Bale and Vasquez to keep their positions in a wide area.
Aguero’s first sight of goal came in the 47th minute when Fernandinho fed the Argentine outside the Real Madrid box, but the former Atletico Madrid striker’s effort flew over Keylor Navas’s crossbar.
Sergio Ramos had a free header in the 54th minute during a spell of Real Madrid pressure, but the Spanish international could only head a Kroos corner straight into the arms of the waiting Hart.
