Carlo Ancelotti revels in Real Madrid's 'complete' performance against Man City

Ancelotti was thrilled to secure Real's first-ever victory at the Etihad Stadium, a triumph he felt was well-earned, considering the numerous chances created. Despite falling behind twice, Real registered 20 shots compared to City's 11.

Kylian Mbappé and Brahim Díaz both leveled the score after Erling Haaland's brace, and Jude Bellingham netted a dramatic winner to give the defending champions an advantage heading into the second leg.

"I think it was a complete game in all aspects, beyond criticism from my part," Ancelotti said afterwards.

"Everyone worked hard. We had a lot of chances. We didn't give up when we were behind. It was a well-rounded, unblemished performance. I think we deserved the win.

"We defended well, with a compact block. They took the lead with a penalty but up front our players were very effective. They could have been a bit more accurate, but they generated a lot of chances with mobility, teamwork and individual quality."

Ancelotti wasn't surprised by his team's ability to deliver such a performance but cautioned against complacency, urging them to stay focused and not let the result lead to overconfidence ahead of the second leg.

"The result is a trick result. You've won, it can make you lower your arms, believe that you don't have to come back and we can't fall into that trap," the Italian added.

"You have to prepare well, as we did today, with the same focus, quality and sacrifice, just like tonight, which was a great performance.

"Now is when the season starts for real and despite the difficulty we faced playing at a very hard place to visit we were able to earn a very good result."