City head back to the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday 17 May knowing that victory would clinch a place in the final for the second time in three years.
Pep Guardiola described the current holders of the trophy as one of the toughest opponents in world football after a tight encounter at the Santiago Bernabeu.
And Goater, who was one of the special guests on Tuesday night’s Matchday Live show, said the Etihad will be bouncing for what Guardiola says is now a ‘play-off’ for a place at the Istanbul final.
“It was a great team effort and it needed to be,” the former City striker said. “You’re playing against Real Madrid and if you have one player off the mark they can dominate you and create more opportunities.
“I would have liked Haaland to have had one or two more opportunities but we were away. I think it was a really good performance and we look forward to taking them to the Etihad because it’s going to be absolutely rocking.”
After Vinicius Junior had fired the home side ahead, Kevin De Bruyne hit a stunning equaliser from 25 yards past his Belgium international team-mate Thibaut Courtois.
It was yet another incredible moment from the midfielder and former City defender Nedum Onuoha says it will help keep the mood positive after a strong performance.
“He stepped up in a very big moment,” Onuoha said. “It’s not like it was City’s best ever game but they needed to find something because they will have felt like they deserved something from this game and for it to come from a 25-yarder as clean as that [was special].
“A lot of people had City down as favourites for the game itself, but the fact is you’re playing away to Real Madrid in the Champions League so they are going to have spells.
“They had that so defensively you need to step up. People were putting their bodies on the line and Ederson made the saves when he needed to make them.
“If it goes 2-1 late in the game, heads might go down instead we’re walking away from here next week knowing if you win you get the chance to win the Champions League. It’s going to be an absolute cracker.”
Ederson made two big saves in the final moments of the game, denying Karim Benzema’s close-range header and another fierce strike from Aurelien Tchouameni.
And City women’s captain Steph Houghton said it shows why the Brazilian is rated as one of the best around.
“Those saves are why he’s one of the best goalkeepers in the world,” the defender added. “Everyone talks about what he does with his feet but in those instances you need someone to have their biggest moment and he certainly did that.”
