THE GREEN MACHINES

Haaland wins then scores pen as Pep reigns in Spain again

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FROM TYRONE MARSHALL in MADRID THE stadium announcer at the Bernabeu read out the list of Manchester City's starting XI before kickoff - but saved his final flourish for the head coach.

Not many grounds offer up the name of a manager to supporters, but then again not many places dislike a boss as much as the locals in Madrid dislike Pep Guardiola.

His name was greeted by a cacophony of boos. His Catalan past will never be forgotten in the Spanish capital, no matter how many times he returns. Seeing Guardiola on the Bernabeu touchline is as regular as Christmas now. This is the fifth consecutive season City have played here.

This contest might have been only a league phase fixture, but for the City boss, it held wider importance.

He had laid down the challenge to a new-look squad the night before the game. For all the antipathy Guardiola has for Real, he often refers to them as the 'Kings of Europe'. He also knows how difficult it is to come here and win.