The Brazilian headed home the equaliser as City staged a brilliant fight back to record a famous 2-1 win at the Santiago Bernabeu and was widely praised in the aftermath.
Pep Guardiola surprised everyone when he named Jesus on the left-wing, with Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva alternating as false nines, but it proved an inspired decision as the 23-year-old shone out wide.
However, City’s No.9 played down his impact, preferring to focus on the team’s outstanding efforts against the Spanish giants.
“I don’t think it is my best performance,” Jesus said. “It was a top game. I scored and helped the team and that’s why people say that.
“They played so good. It is so difficult to go there and play against them.
“We suffered in the first 15-20 minutes and after we played well. We started to play our football and after we came back and could have scored three.
“We played so good with the ball, but without the ball we played one of the best games I have seen since I came to play here.”
Kevin De Bruyne was another player who impressed in the Spanish capital.
The Belgian crossed for Jesus’ equaliser and then showed nerves of steel to convert the penalty which his team-mate had won.
He comes into Friday’s second leg on the back of a fine individual season and Jesus says he is a joy to play with as a striker.
“I think every game he can make three or four assists for us,” he said.
“This season we miss a lot of goals, if not Kevin would have 30 assists. He is so good.
“He has so much quality and he always looks to the strikers. It is so good playing with him.”
Jesus admits the first leg victory bolstered City’s confidence in Europe, though he echoed Rodrigo and Aymeric Laporte’s sentiments that it will take a similarly strong performance to complete the job.
With world class players on either side, the tie could turn in an instant and the striker feels City must aim for victory rather than conserving our lead.
“Real Madrid have a lot of top players and the second leg is going to be so difficult for both teams,” he added.
“Anything can happen. At home we can control he game, but we have to know they can beat us.
“We have to play good again and win the game again.”
