Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior has overtaken Lionel Messi in UEFA Champions League knockout stage assists. The Brazilian set up Jude Bellingham’s goal in Real Madrid’s thrilling 3-2 win over Manchester City at the Etihad on Tuesday.

Pep Guardiola’s side took an early lead in the first leg through Erling Haaland’s 19th-minute strike. Kylian Mbappe equalized for Real Madrid in the 60th minute, but Haaland restored City’s advantage with a penalty in the 80th minute. Just six minutes later, Brahim Diaz leveled the score for Los Blancos.

Vinicius then provided a moment of brilliance, breaking through City’s defense and lofting the ball over goalkeeper Ederson, allowing Bellingham to tap into an empty net. This assist marked Vinicius’ 13th in UCL knockout rounds, surpassing Messi’s tally of 12. Impressively, the 24-year-old reached this milestone in just 50 appearances.

Despite his achievement, Vinicius still has a long way to go to match Messi’s overall Champions League assist record. The Argentine legend sits third on the all-time assist chart with 40, behind Angel Di Maria (41) and Cristiano Ronaldo (42).

With the second leg set for the Santiago Bernabeu, Manchester City faces a daunting task as they look to overturn the deficit and keep their UCL hopes alive.