The China Mail - Real Madrid 'change' under Champions League spotlight: Vinicius

Most of the damage for Pep Guardiola's men was inflicted last week in a 3-0 first leg defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu.

A 2-1 home defeat confirmed City's fourth Champions League exit to Madrid in the last five seasons, including each of the past three years.

But the Spanish giants began the tie as underdogs due to their unconvincing form, that led to Xabi Alonso replacing Alvaro Arbeloa as coach in January.

"All of us players know that the good games are coming and when Madrid play in this competition, everything changes," said Vinicius, who has twice scored in Champions League finals for Los Blancos in 2022 and 2024.

"The fans change, the players change and we're prepared for more. That is coming soon."

Any doubt over the outcome of the tie was killed just 20 minutes in when City captain Bernardo Silva was sent off for deflecting a Vinicius shot off the line with his arm.

The Brazilian converted from the spot and should have added many more before he rounded off the scoring deep into stoppage time after Erling Haaland levelled for City.

"It was a very important game for our confidence," added Vinicius on their latest victory against Pep Guardiola's City.

"Since the start of the season we've had a lot of good games, but we haven't controlled them as much as we controlled this tie.

"It was a very difficult match against a great team, a great coach, where they had a lot of time on the ball but we knew what to do, how to work, and take advantage of our chances."

Madrid face a tough route to this year's final in Budapest.

They will almost certaintly renew their rivalry with Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals, with defending champions Paris Saint-Germain possibly lying in wait in the last four.

I.Taylor--ThChM--ThChM