Match ends, Manchester City 0, Real Madrid 0.
Joe Hart kept Manchester City's hopes of reaching their first Champions League final alive with two brilliant late saves that ensured their semi-final first leg with Real Madrid finished goalless.
With star striker Cristiano Ronaldo missing because of a thigh injury, a cautious Real side offered little goal threat until the closing stages.
But in the last 20 minutes, Jese headed against the bar for the Spanish side before Hart brilliantly denied Casemiro and Pepe from corners.
Hart showed great reactions to keep out Casemiro's header with his foot but his block to deny Pepe, who was unmarked and five yards from goal, is the standout reason City will travel to Spain next week with a precious clean sheet.
The closest City came to a goal of their own was when Keylor Navas tipped over Kevin de Bruyne's dipping free-kick in stoppage time.
Relive a tense first leg at Etihad Stadium
Football Daily podcast: 'A professional European display by Manchester City'
That was Navas' only save of a game that was billed as a shootout between two attacking sides but was, in fact, a game largely devoid of goalmouth action.
City will take the positives from denying Real an away goal but England's last remaining representatives in Europe's elite competition still face a huge task if they are to reach the final, in Milan on 28 May.
Their failure to score at home means former Real boss Manuel Pellegrini does not have a lead to take back to the Bernabeu, where Zinedine Zidane's side have not conceded a goal in the Champions League all season.
No Ronaldo, no Real threat
The news Ronaldo's thigh muscle was deemed too tight for him to play was clearly a massive boost for City before their first Champions League semi-final.
Without their 47-goal top scorer, a Real side that had scored 133 goals in their previous 46 games this season seemed reluctant to commit men forward and struggled to create chances.
Gareth Bale, playing his first game in England since his £85m move to Real from Spurs in 2013, was unable to provide the spark in Ronaldo's absence.
Bale did get the better of Gael Clichy early on down the right but failed to find a team-mate with his crosses and his finishing was also below his usual standards.
The Wales winger cut in to send one curling shot bouncing wide in the second half but disappointed with a free-kick from the edge of the box which he fired against the City wall.
Both of Real's late chances came from set-pieces and they struggled to open up City.
City also shot-shy
The home side were not helped by David Silva being forced off by injury before half-time and were short of their customary zip in the final third.
Sergio Aguero was starved of service and only managed one shot at goal, which came when he fired over from the edge of the box at the start of the second half.
The former Atletico Madrid striker has now played Real 13 times in his career and has still never beaten them, but will get another chance on Wednesday, 4 May.
In truth, City's whole attack will have to do better in the second leg.
De Bruyne, who started in the number 10 role but ended up on the left after Silva's injury, was also short of inspiration, Jesus Navas made few inroads down the right and Kelechi Iheanacho's pace had little impact.
Man of the match - Joe Hart
Post-match reaction
Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini:
"We played a very intense game and defended well. We tried to create until David Silva got injured then we lost the ball too much. If you cannot win then a 0-0 draw is good.
"We knew they were going to play a slow game and that is why we pressed as a team. When we had the ball, we could not make the difference. We could not score."
Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany:
"It is too close to call at the moment - 0-0 is a very dangerous scoreline.
"From the moment we manage to score in Madrid, it will be very different.
"It is hard to keep a clean sheet against such an attacking team. We can be proud of what we have achieved in this first leg."
What next?
The first leg of the other semi-final, between Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich, takes place in Spain on Wednesday.
Before their trip to Madrid, City travel to Southampton on Sunday in a 16:30 BST kick-off. With three league games remaining, Pellegrini's side are still in need of Premier League points to secure a top-four finish that will make sure of Champions League football next season too.
Real, third in La Liga and a point behind leaders Barcelona, are already certain of their Champions League place but are still in the title race. They also have an away game this weekend - against Real Sociedad at 15:00 BST on Saturday.
Stats of the day
- The first goal attempt of the game - by City defender Nicolas Otamendi - came after 27 minutes, the latest in any Champions League game this season.
- Real Madrid were involved in only their ninth goalless draw in their 223rd Champions League game.
- They have won just 43% of their Champions League games without Ronaldo since 2009-10 (3/7), and 71% with him.
- This was just the fourth Champions League game this season without a first-half shot on target.
- City have managed only three shots on target in total their past three Champions League home games (one in each).
- Aguero has now gone 432 minutes without having a shot on target in the Champions League.
- De Bruyne completed just 62.8% of his passes, the lowest figure for any outfield player.
Line-ups
Man City
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Hart
- 3Sagna
- 4Kompany
- 30Otamendi
- 22Clichy
- 6Reges
- 25Fernandinho
- 15NavasSubstituted forSterlingat 77'minutes
- 17De Bruyne
- 21SilvaBooked at 37minsSubstituted forIheanachoat 40'minutes
- 10Agüero
Substitutes
- 5Zabaleta
- 7Sterling
- 11Kolarov
- 13Caballero
- 18Delph
- 20Mangala
- 72Iheanacho
Real Madrid
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Navas
- 15CarvajalBooked at 90mins
- 3PepeBooked at 24mins
- 4Ramos
- 12Marcelo
- 19Modric
- 14Casemiro
- 8KroosSubstituted forIscoat 90'minutes
- 11Bale
- 9BenzemaSubstituted forRodríguez Ruizat 45'minutes
- 18Vázquez
Substitutes
- 2Varane
- 10Rodríguez
- 13Casilla
- 16Kovacic
- 20Rodríguez Ruiz
- 22Isco
- 23Danilo
- Referee:
- Cüneyt Çakir
- Attendance:
- 52,221
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home45%
- Away55%
- Shots
- Home4
- Away13
- Shots on Target
- Home1
- Away3
- Corners
- Home4
- Away6
- Fouls
- Home20
- Away12
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Manchester City 0, Real Madrid 0.
Post update
Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Keylor Navas.
Post update
Attempt saved. Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) right footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the left is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Booking
Daniel Carvajal (Real Madrid) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Daniel Carvajal (Real Madrid).
Post update
Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Isco (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Fernandinho (Manchester City).
Substitution
Substitution, Real Madrid. Isco replaces Toni Kroos.
Post update
Foul by Lucas Vázquez (Real Madrid).
Post update
Gaël Clichy (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Pepe (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Fernando (Manchester City).
Post update
Attempt blocked. Gareth Bale (Real Madrid) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Post update
Attempt saved. Pepe (Real Madrid) left footed shot from very close range is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Gareth Bale.
Post update
Attempt missed. Gareth Bale (Real Madrid) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Toni Kroos with a cross following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Vincent Kompany.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Gareth Bale (Real Madrid) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Post update
Marcelo (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Comments
Join the conversation
Disappointed to see so many people slagging them off
The Sun's front page completely ignored yesterdays verdict - what an opportunity missed to finally apologise, what was the editor thinking.
Man U fan.
Btw - don't let a few idiots (on both sides) at recent Man U v Liverpool matches reignite the old songs, if you hear it or see it, report it
(but clearly not many of those on this site, or in the BT Studio !)
I cant see Pep keeping hold of him for too long
Just because someone doesn't hate City doesn't mean they are therefore a City fan. There is a lot of middle ground between the polar extremes of hatred and fanaticism.
I support a different club but (like a lot of other calm people) I like seeing EPL clubs do well in CL (which hanging in with Real and no away goal conceded constitutes)
What's wrong with that?
There was very little between the sides and that in itself was very encouraging for City fans.
"Justice for Sakho"? Why? He cheated. He got caught. Why should he deserve justice?
As a Man U follower i do wish Man city come through, there is not enough support for British teams from other supporters of other UK clubs.
Can't see the Germans supporters not cheering on a their fellow countries team.
*played
PS Good luck to City
Not an English team (yep) Empty Stadium (yep) Billions of £ (yep) Oil Money (yep)
Not a big club (yep) Mercenaries (not seen that one yet... give it time) No atmosphere (yep)
Still in this tie big style..a score draw will see us through!
You know you are an elite club at the very top of the game when a BBC HYS is full of haters!