Semenyo’s Manchester City Champions League debut ends in defeat to Real Madrid

Antoine Semenyo’s UEFA Champions League debut ended in defeat as Manchester City fell 3-0 to Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.

The Black Stars forward started the game and lasted for 70 minutes before making ways for Rayan Cherki.

Semenyo’s inclusion in the starting lineup marked a significant milestone in his career, becoming the second player to feature in the Champions League, all four divisions of English football, and non-league football, after Steve Finnan achieved the feat in 2005.

Semenyo had been impressive since joining Manchester City in January, scoring seven goals in 12 matches in all competitions.

Real Madrid dominated the match, with Federico Valverde scoring a hat-trick, including two goals in the first 27 minutes.

Manchester City struggled to contain the Spanish giants, and Semenyo’s debut, although promising, wasn’t enough to change the scores of the game.

Semenyo completed 21 of his 26 passes, representing an accuracy rate of 81%.

He registered two shots on target and successfully completed both of his dribbles. Defensively, he produced one block and won half of his ground duels but failed to secure any aerial contest. Performance data platform Flash Score rated his display at 7.2.

Manchester City will look to bounce back in the second leg, which takes place on March 17 at the Etihad Stadium.

Semenyo will be hoping to build on his debut experience and contribute to a potential comeback.

The match was a significant test for Semenyo, and while it didn’t go as planned, it provides valuable experience for the young forward.

Manchester City’s focus now shifts to the return leg, where they’ll be looking to turn the tie around.

The second leg promises to be an exciting encounter, with Semenyo likely to play a key role in City’s pursuit of a place in the quarterfinals.