By MARTIN BLACKBURN
MANCHESTER CITY finally proved they belong with Europe’s elite — but it was not enough to stop them crashing out again.
A stirring second-half fightback rattled the mighty Real Madrid and left the 10-man Spanish giants praying for the final whistle.
But it all proved to be in vain as Roberto Mancini’s men left themselves with too much to do on the night — just like their campaign as a whole.
One point from two matches against the group’s weakest side Ajax is ultimately why City are out with a game still to play.
They will miss out on the Europa League too unless they can win in Germany against group winners Borussia Dortmund in two weeks.
Yet at least there were signs here that the English champions have learned some lessons from this season’s bitterly disappointing European adventure.
That is, remember, after going out at this stage last season, too.
Last night, they survived an early onslaught from Cristiano Ronaldo and Co and were lucky to be only behind to Karim Benzema’s early strike.
But credit to Mancini’s men for fighting their way back into the game and producing their best half of European football in recent memory to claim a hard-earned point through Sergio Aguero’s late spot-kick.
City began the night knowing that their only hope of salvation was to win both their remaining matches and hope results went their way.
Boss Mancini signalled his intent by going for three at the back — a system which has divided opinion whenever he has used it this season.
Maybe it was an attempt to put his team on the front foot — or perhaps it was to counter Ronaldo on his return to Manchester.
Whatever the reason, it could not have worked out much worse in a nightmare opening 20 minutes for the home side.
The Etihad was not a happy hunting ground for Ronaldo during his time with United — he was sent off twice here and scored just one goal.
Yet he clearly has no problem turning it on here judging by the way he set about City’s defenders.
The only surprise was that he was not involved in the opening goal which was yet another shocker in this competition for the English champions.
Argentine winger Angel di Maria was given too much space to deliver a dangerous inswinging cross from the right wing which caused panic in the home defence.
Maicon lost track of Karim Benzema meaning the French forward was unmarked to sweep the ball past Joe Hart from two yards and put Jose Mourinho’s men ahead.
It meant City had gone behind in all of their home Champions League group games — and it could, possibly should, have got even worse for them.
Ronaldo opened up his box of tricks to torment Vincent Kompany and crossed for Sami Khedira who steered his shot wide of the far post.
The Portuguese flier produced more wing wizardry and centred for Khedira again — but this time his header went into the side-netting.
Then Ronaldo raced clear of the home defence and dinked the ball over Hart only for Aleksandar Kolarov to race back and hook the ball off the line.
Ronaldo saw his effort deflected wide from the rebound too — and City had somehow escaped again when really Mourinho’s men could have been out of sight.
Somehow City were still in the game and they fashioned a chance of their own as former Atletico Madrid man Aguero had a shot tipped over by Real keeper Iker Casillas.
Yet the home side were wide open at the back again minutes later as Khedira charged right through the middle but was denied by a brave Hart save.
That was the cue for Mancini to switch to a more stable-looking back four and it seemed to calm down the rampant visitors for a while.
Indeed, City should have levelled as Maicon — looking to make amends for his early mistake — drifted in from the right and swapped passes with striker Aguero.
The Brazilian full-back had a good sight of goal but snatched at his effort and slid it wide.
Mancini made a change at the break with former Madrid man Javi Garcia replacing Kolarov and City were brighter.
Aguero’s touch in front of goal for once let him down as Casillas gathered.
With City in the ascendancy, Mancini threw on Carlos Tevez to try and get a foothold back in the game.
But it was Aguero who thought he had equalised soon afterwards, getting on the end of a deflected cross by Maicon, only for Casillas to save his point-blank volley. It was a sensational stop.
City did get a lifeline 16 minutes from time as Edin Dzeko slipped Aguero into the box and he went down as Alvaro Arbeloa stumbled clumsily.
The Italian referee pointed to the spot and also issued a second yellow to the former Liverpool defender.
City’s talismanic forward Aguero scored from the spot and set up a thrilling finish.
Ronaldo was the pantomime villain as his team clung on — while Mourinho was going mad in the technical area.
Yaya Toure — who has scored so many crucial goals for City — was teed up by Maicon in added time. But the former Barcelona star blasted his effort high over the bar.
The Etihad has seen some fairytale endings in recent times — but this time there was not to be one.
