Steven Gerrard revealed the most stupid moment during Real Madrid 2-1 defeat against Manchester City in the Champions League, a result that heightens the pressure on under-fire manager Xabi Alonso.
City travelled to the Bernabeu needing a win to strengthen their push for automatic progression to the knockout rounds, and despite falling behind, they showed enough control and resilience to turn the contest around before half-time.
The Premier League club were not at their fluent best, but they did not need to be, exploiting Madrid’s defensive lapses to come away with a victory that felt far more comfortable than the scoreline suggested.
Rodrygo fired Madrid ahead midway through the first half, latching onto a loose second ball and driving his effort high into the net.
The stadium erupted, and for a brief spell the home side looked as though they had rediscovered their spark. But City responded with clarity and composure, punishing Madrid’s inconsistencies at the back.
The equaliser came from a set-piece that Real Madrid simply failed to address. A corner swung into the box created panic rather than organisation, and when defenders hesitated, Nico O’Reilly reacted first, stabbing the ball past Thibaut Courtois from close range.
Moments later, City won a penalty when Erling Haaland was shoved over by Antonio Rudiger, and the Norwegian striker made no mistake from the spot to confirm the Real Madrid 2-1 defeat against Manchester City.
It was during the analysis of both goals that Gerrard, working as a pundit for TNT Sports, sharply criticised Madrid’s defensive standards.
He directed particular frustration at Alvaro Carreras for his role in City’s first goal and described Rudiger’s decision-making as “stupid” after conceding the decisive penalty.
“It’s really poor from Real Madrid all over,” Gerrard said on TNT Sports when analysing Manchester City’s first goal at the Bernabeu.
“Jude Bellingham loses the first duel, he gets beat in the air. The keeper [Thibaut Courtois] is poor with the save but Carreras… you cannot allow a player that space in the box.
“Carreras is looking around the stadium – I don’t know what he’s looking for because his man has got two or three yards of space to tap into the goal.
“You cannot switch off like that and ball-watch and allow any Man City player the freedom to tap in.”
The criticism did not stop there. When the discussion shifted to the penalty incident, Gerrard was even firmer in his judgement.
“It’s stupid [from Rudiger]. Xabi Alonso has a huge problem because Man City are winning this game and haven’t got out of second gear.
“They proved in the last ten minutes of the first half that they can’t defend.
“We’ve given Rudiger credit many a time because he’s a great man-marker, he likes to get physical and put forwards off by getting tight.
“But this is stupid – you can’t do that in the box with VAR, he was never going to get away with that. It was a blatant penalty.”’
City in control as Madrid face fresh questions
While Madrid attempted to rally late in the second half, their attacks lacked conviction and clear structure, leaving City rarely troubled.
Pep Guardiola’s side maintained a disciplined defensive shape, absorbing pressure and managing the tempo whenever the hosts tried to build momentum.
Real Madrid, by contrast, looked fragmented, uncertain at the back and unable to sustain attacking patterns for long spells. The energy that typically characterises their European nights at the Bernabeu felt subdued, replaced instead by a sense of frustration among the supporters.
The final whistle was met with a mixture of disappointment and restlessness from the stands—an atmosphere reflective of a campaign that has not found its rhythm under Alonso.
- Real Madrid 1-2 Man City: Haaland admits major disappointment despite victory
- Real Madrid legend predicts total destruction of Man City with unbelievable scoreline
Madrid have won only sporadically in the league and their Champions League performances have lacked the sharpness and identity that once defined their European dominance.
Gerrard, speaking after full-time, admitted he expected a much stronger showing from a team of Real Madrid’s stature.
“I certainly expected more from Real Madrid. I was disappointed by them.
“Man City deserved the three points but it wasn’t a performance from a team [Real Madrid] that suggests they want the manager out.
“But they did lose the big moments in the game, like Rudiger’s stupidity for the penalty, and Man City thoroughly deserved the win.”