In the opening 15 minutes, Real Madrid held a modest xT advantage at 0.9 to 0.54, yet Manchester City had already accumulated 35 touches in the final third compared to Real Madrid’s 14. The field tilt suggested City possession without corresponding threat generation. By halftime, that gap persisted. Real Madrid’s xT climbed to 1.84 against City’s 1.48, while the visitors maintained territorial superiority with 78 touches in the final third to the home side’s 45.
Neither team established patient buildup
patterns in the opening period. Madrid registered three short sequences and two moderate ones across their five possessions, while Man City matched that tempo with two short and two moderate sequences in four total possessions.
Matheus Nunes orchestrated City’s territorial control from a deeper role. His 1.448 xT gain led all players, built on 11 progressive passes and eight ball recoveries. With 99 touches, he saw more of the ball than anyone on the pitch and completed 87.7% of his attempts.
Rodrygo provided Madrid’s most consistent threat, recording 1.138 xT gain through eight progressive carries and five key passes. His eight progressive carries matched his creative output, while six ball recoveries suggested defensive involvement that extended beyond his nominal attacking brief.
Josko Gvardiol tied for the match lead with 11 progressive passes, completing 90.9% overall across 68 touches. The left-sided defender repeatedly found angles to advance possession.
Federico Valverde had 10 progressive passes for Madrid and made six ball recoveries across 62 touches. Jude Bellingham converted all of his long balls while adding eight progressive passes and three key passes, threading vertical options when space appeared.
Manchester City dominated territorial metrics across the 94 minutes. Their 320 touches in the opponent’s half dwarfed Real Madrid’s 257, while City completed 242 passes in the attacking half compared to 197 for the hosts. The visitors’ 84.9% pass completion rate edged Real Madrid’s 82.7%, and City carried the ball into the final third 17 times against just eight for Real Madrid. Man City received 213 passes in the opponent’s half compared to 158 for Real Madrid.
By the hour mark, Madrid’s xT had risen to 2.26 against City’s 2.17, the first time the hosts overtook their visitors in threat creation. That advantage held through 75 minutes, with Real Madrid reaching 2.38 xT compared to City’s 2.09. The final 15 minutes saw Real Madrid attempt a more elaborate buildup, registering one short sequence, three moderate sequences, and one patient sequence across five possessions.
Manchester City managed just two sequences after the 75th minute, both moderate in length, as they absorbed pressure while protecting a 2-1 lead. Real Madrid accumulated 71 touches in the final third by minute 75, yet City’s 137 in the same zone reflected their earlier dominance that had already yielded the decisive advantage.
