All the tears belonged to Manchester City and their supporters at the final whistle after a trademark smash-and-grab late surge gave Real a potentially decisive 3-2 advantage after the first leg of this play-off to reach the last 16 of the Champions League.

Not much that happens in this competition surprises Ancelotti, a European champion twice as a player and five times as a coach, but the manner of their 3-2 victory over Manchester City felt like a revelation to the Madrid coach.

Manchester City versus Real Madrid will be just the fourth fixture in European Cup/Uefa Champions League history to played in four consecutive seasons, after Deportivo de La Coruna vs Juventus (4 from 2000-01 to 2003-04), Chelsea vs Liverpool (5 from 2004-05 to 2008-09), and Atletico de Madrid vs Real Madrid (4 from 2013-14 to 2016-17).