City end UYL League Phase with outstanding Real Madrid triumph

EDS & Academy

Tickets on sale for City's Premier League International Cup clash with Real Madrid

City charged out of the gates, with Charlie Gray placing a fine, curling free-kick into the far-right corner just before the half-hour mark to give us a deserved lead.

Liberto Navascues failed to draw Real Madrid level before half-time.

The winger saw his penalty saved by Spike Brits, an added boost of confidence for our youngsters who carried the momentum into the second half.

Ryan McAidoo doubled City’s advantage on 70 minutes with a fantastic effort before a late Reigan Heskey brace handed Real Madrid their first Youth League defeat in 2025/26 as we climb to 10th in the league table.

WHAT HAPPENED

City’s youngsters, wearing our EA SPORTS FC kit for the first time this season, looked set on toppling Real Madrid, a side yet to drop points on the European stage this season.

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The hosts looked surprised at City’s intensity and high press from kick-off, often struggling to play out from their back line.

Ben Wilkinson’s side capitalised on the opportunity to shock the Spanish outfit. And after 23 minutes of impressive, high-intensity football, Gray fired City ahead.

Floyd Samba won a free-kick on the edge of the Real Madrid box. And the experienced Gray curled the set piece towards the far post, just out of Illia Voloshyn’s reach.

City continued to look the better side, but a lapse in concentration gave the hosts a huge opportunity to level the score.

A short pass at the back by Kian Noble was pounced on by Navascues.

The Real Madrid winger was closed down by Brits, but the winger’s quick feet saw him evade the City shot stopper and was brought down in the box. Referee Joonas Jaanovits took his time to make a decision before awarding the home side a penalty.

Brits would not be deterred, however. The City number one did his homework and went the right way, diving quickly to his right, to deny Navascues from levelling shortly before half-time.

The match certainly saw two of the best Academies in Europe go toe-to-toe with the intensity continuously rising in the second half.

Both teams had chances, but the best came in the form of another Gray free-kick. The midfielder, from an almost identical position as the first, curled his effort towards the same spot he found success earlier in the match.

But Voloshyn was better positioned to catch the set piece the second time round.

Diego Villalba rattled the crossbar from close range on 67 minutes as Real Madrid pushed in search of an equaliser.

But a quick counter by City would put the game out of reach for the hosts.

Substitute Justin Oboavwoduo won the ball back off Real Madrid on the halfway line. And gave the ball to McAidoo, who did the rest.

The winger carried the ball all the way to the opposition’s box before firing a low shot into the back of the net with 20 minutes left to play.

Heskey topped off the clinical performance with a brace in just five minutes. The first saw winger showcase his fast feet, evading two Real Madrid bodies before curling his right-footed effort into the top right corner.

His second from the spot, after winning the penalty himself, saw him slot the ball into the bottom left corner.

The convincing triumph on the road means City climb to 10th in the league table, beating a Real Madrid side who had only conceded three in their five fixtures prior.

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TEAMS

REAL MADRID XI | Voloshyn, Fortea (Hernandez 60’), Calderon, L. Lezcano, A. Lezcano (Espinosa 46’), Reyes (Dominguez 77’), Regueira, Villabla, Gascon (Martinez 58’), Navascues (Ortega 46’), Alves.

SUBS | Navarrom, Duran, Seco, Hernandez, Sanchez.

CITY XI | Brits, Nfonkeu (Headley 71’), Noble, Mfuni, McFarlane, Braithwaite, McAidoo (Dunbar-McDonald 74’), Gray (Fapetu 68’), Mukasa, F. Samba (Oboavwoduo 68’), R. Heskey.

SUBS | Hudson, Drake, Miles, Lamb.

AS A RESULT

City are through to the Round of 32 for the UEFA Youth League.

We place 10th in the standings, meaning we will advance to the knockout stage of the competition through the domestic champions pathway.

The draw for the Round of 32 will take place on Friday. Keep across mancity.com and the Official Man City App for updates on who our Under-19s will face.

UP NEXT

For the final time in 2025, City’s EDS take centre stage on Tuesday 16 December.

And we will face Real Madrid, again, this time their Under-21s side in the Premier League International Cup, with kick-off slated for 19:00 (UK).

The game will be available to watch live on CITY+.

And tickets for the game are available here.