Football | The Champions League playoffs have begun – Erling Haaland's goal is scant consolation for Copenhagen

Of the masters Manchester City, one of the big favorites in the league, took a strong hold on the next place on Tuesday evening, as expected. It won the first leg of the first round of the playoffs away from FC Copenhagen with goals 3–1.

City's star striker Erling Haaland remained in the shadows of Copenhagen in the match. His most impressive moment was when he attempted a volley from really high in the first half, but the hit on the ball was not completely clean.

The others were more specific than the Norwegian on Tuesday.

Kevin De Bruyne shot City into the lead at the beginning of the match, but the debutant for the Danes Magnus Mattsson equalized at about half an hour. With the situation tied at 1-1, City's goalkeeper started Ederson's from the miserable opening.

Just before the break Bernardo Silva caught the ball in the Danes' net. Although the finish was pretty, luck was involved. The ball came within Silva's reach when Mattsson's breakaway attempt bounced into the goal via De Bruyne.

City ran the game strongly in the second half as well. Management was rewarded with extra time of the match, when Phil Foden succeeded in scoring.

The statistics told a lot about the nature of the match. For example, the BBC recorded scoring attempts in City's favor at 27–4. The possession percentage was 79–21 in favor of the guests.

Tuesday night in the second leg, Real Madrid beat RB Leipzig away 1–0. The German hosts wasted a couple of great scoring opportunities in the first half, and then it happened, as it often does: the opposition punished.

Brahim Diaz right at the beginning of the second half, he skilfully found himself in the starting position, and it was also the precise work of a professional.

Real Madrid also withstood Leipzig's onslaught in the second half.

Tuesday the second legs of the teams that played are scheduled for March 6. Then the home teams are Manchester City and Real Madrid.

The Champions League continues on Wednesday night with the matches PSG–Real Sociedad and Lazio–Bayern Munich.