Nico O’Reilly applauded Manchester City’s bravery and belief after their thrilling 2-1 comeback win over Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.
It was a night where City refused to blink, even after falling behind.
Rodrygo fired Madrid ahead after 28 minutes.
But City struck back fast. O’Reilly swept home his first Champions League goal just seven minutes later to silence the crowd and swing momentum back.
Erling Haaland then stepped up before halftime.
He buried a penalty with trademark calm to secure his 55th goal in the competition.
The finish lifted City to 13 points from six League Phase fixtures and kept them charging toward a top-eight spot.
After the match, O’Reilly told City Studios that the comeback reflected the team’s character.
“Everyone wanted to get on the ball, everyone wanted to play. I’d say there was a lot of character out there tonight. I think that’s what got us over the line.
“We knew we could get goals back, so that wasn’t the problem.”
He added: “We just had to stay focused, not be scared by the environment and the counter attacks they were causing. And that was it.
“We’re all on a high right now. We need to keep pushing and keep going.”
O’Reilly also admitted his joy at scoring on such a huge stage.
He stressed that City must now finish the League Phase strongly and fight for a top-eight place.
The young midfielder’s breakthrough performance now adds another spark to City’s European charge, with belief and momentum rising once again.
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