Sports
‘World-class’ Nico O’Reilly Helps England Case During Madrid 1-2 Man City
Manchester City came from behind to beat Real Madrid 2-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday night. And England manager Thomas Tuchel will be thrilled with one player’s performance, which sent a clear message to the Three Lions head coach.
The hosts started the game on top and got the breakthrough thanks to a strike from Rodrygo. But Pep Guardiola’s side quickly restored parity from a corner, as Nico O’Reilly poked the ball home from close range after poor goalkeeping by Thibaut Courtois.
Just minutes later, City took the lead after Antonio Rudiger tackled Erling Haaland to the Bernabeu turf and gave away a penalty. Haaland stepped up and duly converted to put his side in front — a lead which they held on to for the remainder of the game.
Real Madrid vs Man City Dud Proved He is ‘Finished’ at Champions League Level
One Real Madrid player really struggled in their loss against Manchester City, which could lead to the club moving on from him.
O’Reilly Must Start For England at World Cup
In a Man City team that is stacked with talent, it can sometimes be difficult to stand out from the pack. But that hasn’t been an issue for Nico O’Reilly, who has taken his game to new heights in 2025/26.
The talented 20-year-old has found himself starting more frequently this term, mainly due to summer signing Rayan Ait-Nouri missing games through injury. But he has taken that chance with both hands, and put in a phenomenal display at the Bernabeu.
While he was caught high up the pitch for Madrid’s opener, as many of City’s players were, O’Reilly grew into the game as time went on. He offered plenty in attack, providing an overload on the left-flank which consistently caused problems for Xabi Alonso’s side.
And defensively, he improved too. In the second half, he got stuck into the action to keep opposition attackers at bay, but also made a superb recovery when Vinicius and Rodrygo were breaking forward, cutting out a pass to the latter, which would have played him through on goal.
Check Out O’Reilly’s Statistics From the Game:
|
Nico O’Reilly Statistics From Real Madrid 1-2 Man City |
|
|---|---|
|
Minutes |
90 |
|
Touches |
58 |
|
Goals |
1 |
|
Big Chances Created |
1 |
|
Key Passes |
1 |
|
Accurate Passes |
32/35 (91%) |
|
Tackles (Won) |
3 (3) |
|
Interceptions |
1 |
|
Clearances |
4 |
|
Blocked Shots |
2 |
|
Recoveries |
5 |
|
Ground Duels (Won) |
8 (4) |
|
Aerial Duels (Won) |
2 (1) |
Making three tackles on the night and creating one big chance, it was a complete performance from an individual who is playing with a maturity beyond his years. The Man of the Match display was a clear message to his manager Guardiola, one that said ‘I am here to stay’. And it was an even bigger indicator to England manager Tuchel that O’Reilly can be the Three Lions’ starting left-back at the 2026 World Cup.
So far, the Manchester-born ace has earned two caps, which both came in the most recent international break against Serbia and Albania. If he can maintain this form for the rest of the season, then his place on the plane next summer should be guaranteed.
Fans Hail ‘World-Class’ O’Reilly For Display vs Madrid
Supporters, reacting to O’Reilly’s performance in the Champions League against the 15-time winners of the competition, were blown away by what they saw from the full-back. Many have urged Tuchel to pick him when the time comes to name England’s squad, with one writing: “Nico O’Reilly at 20 just dropped a masterclass in the Bernabeu. And I’m supposed to believe bench players at other clubs are going to start ahead of him for England?”
Another echoed those thoughts, stating: “Nico O’Reilly was incredible tonight. What a talent. Get him to the World Cup.” And after being hailed as a “special player” by a fellow City fan, an England supporter added: “Nico Reilly has got to be first choice for England.”
Other supporters simply chose to marvel at what they saw from him on the night, with one saying: “Nico O’Reilly has serious minerals. Got caught out for the Rodrygo goal, had his struggles defensively initially. No problem. Scores the equaliser, nearly gets an assist and puts in an excellent performance from then on. Reminder: He’s 20 and is actually a No.10.”
And a final supporter went even further, stating: “Nico O’Reilly has a world-class ceiling. He is already one of the best left backs in the world. Best player on the pitch against Real Madrid.”
