Man City's Draw with Real Madrid Further Evidence of Their European Improvement

It’s perhaps a sign of how far Manchester City have come in the Champions League that there was a sense of disappointment at the final whistle that they hadn’t beaten Real Madrid. A 0-0 draw, by all accounts, is a decent result. It means they go into next week’s second leg at the Bernabeu with everything to play for, having denied Real a crucial away goal.

However, given they were the dominant side in the first half at the Etihad Stadium, playing with more speed and more intensity than their La Liga opponents, who were without the brilliant Cristiano Ronaldo, there will be a feeling of regret among the City players on Wednesday morning. For all their determination and organisation, they failed to trouble Keylor Navas in the Madrid goal anywhere near enough.

In fact, they mustered just one shot on target, a late Kevin De Bruyne free-kick easily tipped over by Navas. When they were in the ascendancy in the first period, they needed to produce more in the final third, but their usual combination play, for whatever reason, evaded them.

Ronaldo’s absence was a huge boost, and Real looked distinctly average without him. Add in a half-fit Karim Benzema, and it’s arguable that this was a wonderful opportunity for City to put themselves in the driving seat going into the return leg, one which they passed up.

That’s not to say City themselves didn’t have injury problems. Yaya Toure was missing with a thigh strain and David Silva didn’t last the first half. But without Ronaldo’s virtuosity, City genuinely looked the better side for much of the game but failed to make their mark and now face a much sterner test in a week’s time.

"

What a night @MCFC ... Off to Madrid next week with it all still to play for. We can do this! #CMONCITY #MCFC pic.twitter.com/alkwMCgKtl

— Carl (@MCFCarl) April 27, 2016"

There is a growing feeling, though, that City are wising up in Europe. For so long seen as tactically naive and too easy to play against, they are now beginning to look like a solid, coherent side. This was their third consecutive clean sheet at home in the Champions League. They haven’t conceded a goal in 318 minutes of top-level European football. Unusually, it was their creativity and goalscoring ability that let them down.

They face a difficult, but not insurmountable, task next week in the Spanish capital. An away goal, if they can find one, would put them in a strong position. With the match-winners in City’s squad, it would hardly be a surprise if they managed it.

The stats are against them, though, per ESPN's Dermot Corrigan and Paul Carr:

"

La Liga sides have won 16 of last 17 ties with English clubs in Europe - only defeat was Chelsea beating Barca in 2011/12 UCL semis.

— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) April 26, 2016"

"

SPI: Real Madrid is 74% favorite to advance.

In 29 previous UCL series w/ 1st Leg of 0-0, team playing 2nd Leg at home advanced 20 times.

— Paul Carr (@PCarrESPN) April 26, 2016"

Perhaps the most important thing for City right now, though, is their players' belief. Those inhibited displays that undermined their European performances for so long appear to have subsided. This City squad finally look as though they belong at this level, that they can genuinely compete with the very best.

Manuel Pellegrini said afterwards he feels his side are very much in the tie and insisted they will travel to Madrid without fear.

"

📷⚽

Here are some of the best images from this evening's draw against Manchester City.#RMUCL #HalaMadrid pic.twitter.com/qN8Z5sPyD5

— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) April 26, 2016"

"I don't think Real are favourites," he said. "We are not afraid to go away to the Bernabeu."

But what will perhaps annoy the City fans the most is Pellegrini's admission that City asked the Premier League to bring forward their weekend game with Southampton to give them extra time to prepare for the return leg, only to be denied.

"

Still everything to play for. #CMONCITY pic.twitter.com/gSmQWYU40T

— Kevin De Bruyne (@DeBruyneKev) April 27, 2016"

"Unfortunately for us we have one day less rest than Real," added Pellegrini. "We tried to change our game, and it was impossible.

"But we trust in what we are going to do in Spain. The players believe in what we are doing and I am sure we will give everything we can in that game.

"Of course Real have the advantage of playing the second leg at home.

PAUL ELLIS/Getty Images

"But when we are away, we play very similar to the way we do at home, and this season we have already had very good results playing away at Sevilla, Dynamo Kiev and Paris St-Germain."

There is plenty for Pellegrini to be pleased about. He was charged with improving City's fortunes in Europe, and in the space of three years, he's had a significant impact.

He will wake up Wednesday morning, though, thinking his side could have one foot in the final.

Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and will be following the club from a Manchester base throughout the 2015/16 season. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @RobPollard.