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Man City vs. Real Madrid takeaways: De Bruyne's fast start, Benzema's brilliance, sloppy mistakes and more

MANCHESTER, England -- Manchester City and Real Madrid played out a pulsating Champions League semifinal first leg at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday,

Although Man City looked poised to run away with it, Madrid kept it close and there will be plenty to play for in the second leg. Here are three thoughts on the game.

1. Both sides have reason to believe they can finish on top

The semifinal between Man City and Real Madrid matched the record for the highest-scoring Champions League semifinal ever, with Pep Guardiola's side earning a 4-3 advantage to take the Bernabeu next week.