Man City vs Real Madrid LIVE: Champions League result, final score and reaction tonight

This was a Champions League classic that produced the most vintage modern storyline. It was almost as if the last decade of the competition had been distilled, as one of that era’s great players also put on a display for the ages.

This was yet another knockout tie when a Pep Guardiola team should have been out of sight, and yet another when Real Madrid should have been knocked out of the competition. Both, as has so often been the case, remain in the balance after a 4-3 result that ebbed and surged in so many different ways, almost serving as multiple different types of matches in one. It had that much in it, and could still have had more goals.

It had so many dominant stars, from Riyad Mahrez to Kevin De Bruyne, but there was still one that went beyond everyone. That was of course Karim Benzema, who made it nine goals in these five knockout stage games alone. It was incredible and fitting because this match was often unbelievable.

Manchester City claimed a slender advantage in their Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid after a dramatic 4-3 victory at the Etihad Stadium.

The Premier League leaders raced into a 2-0 lead in a pulsating first-leg encounter with goals from the irrepressible Kevin De Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus in the first 11 minutes.

Real responded through the prolific Karim Benzema before Phil Foden and Vinicius Junior traded goals early in the second half.

Bernardo Silva gave City a two-goal advantage but Benzema scored a cheeky penalty – his 41st goal of the season in as many appearances – to cut the deficit once again.

Both sides spurned numerous other chances in a compelling and breathless clash that set the stage for a fascinating second leg next week.

Man City’s Bernardo Silva was awarded the man of the match and gave his reaction after the game saying: “I honestly think for the first 20 minutes we were so, so good.

“The way we pressed, the way we controlled the game and created chances. Over the 90 minutes it felt like we could have won by a better score.

“Unfortunately we were not able to take advantage of our two-goal differences that we had three times. It is the Champions League, we play one of the best teams in the world. It is still a good result. On to the next game.

“It was a good game. Our fans should be proud of us and the work we did. We could have scored more but this football. They took their chances.

“The penalty came out of nowhere. We were controlling the game. We were a bit unlucky.”

Speaking to BT Sport after the game Manchester City’s Phil Foden said: “For the fans watching, it was obviously a great game of football. We know that if we give the ball away in those areas, they’re going to punish us. It’s something we need to work on.

“It was end-to-end at times. We had chances to kill them off and in these games, you have to take those chances.”

Manchester City have one foot in the Champions League final but it could have been even more, after they spurned several chances even as they beat Real Madrid 4-3 in the semi-final first leg.

The game had barely kicked off when Kevin de Bruyne headed in the early opener from Riyad Mahrez’s cross, but City weren’t hanging around and Gabriel Jesus quickly doubled the lead after turning smartly in the box.

City had at least three more great chances to extend their lead before Real’s first chance of the game fell to Karim Benzema - and he produced a world-class finish to reduce the arrears.

There was no let-up after the break as Phil Foden headed a third, Vinicius Jr scored a sensational solo goal, Bernardo Silva sent a piledriver into the top corner and then Benzema sent a Panenka penalty in for an incredible seventh goal of an unforgettable evening.

Here are the player ratings from the first leg at the Etihad Stadium.

No English player has scored more goals in the Champions League while aged 21 or younger than Man City’s Phil Foden (9, level with Wayne Rooney).

After his hat-trick at Chelsea and brace tonight vs Man City, Karim Benzema is the first player in Champions League history to score as many as five goals away from home in the knockout stages against clubs from a single nation in a season.

90+3 mins: Nacho is shown a yellow card right at the end of the match. Foden whips in a corner that Militao heads to Asensio. He wins a throw in for Madrid.

The final whistle goes! Manchester City have victory and take a one-goal lead to the Bernabeu for the second leg. That game is going to be played in a similar fashion to this one tonight. There’ll be goals galore and City’s lead may be vital for them to progress.

90 mins: Three minutes of added time to play.

88 mins: Marco Asensio replaces Vinicius Jr for the final few minutes. Real Madrid are hunting down the equaliser with City still trying to get themselves a bigger margin of victory. Neither team is giving up ground.