Manchester City 3 FC Copenhagen 1

Kevin De Bruyne is so often Manchester City's man for the big occasion. He delivered again at the start of the Champions League's knockout stage.

By scoring one goal and having a hand in two others, the Belgium playmaker inspired City to a win at FC Copenhagen in the first leg of the round of 16 on Tuesday as the English champions resumed their quest to retain their European crown.

It's an English-record nine straight wins in the Champions League for City stretching back to last season, and 10 victories in a row in all competitions over the past two months.

It is going to take something special to stop Pep Guardiola's defending champions.

Only a careless mistake from goalkeeper Ederson Moraes, which led to Copenhagen's equalizer in the 34th minute, prevented City from taking an even more commanding lead into the second leg in Manchester in three weeks.

Still, few will give the Danish champions hope of turning this around.

Not with De Bruyne seemingly back in top form already after missing five months with a hamstring injury sustained on the opening day of the season.

"The biggest players appear in the biggest stages," City manager Pep Guardiola said, when asked about De Bruyne's display. "It's the moment of truth when you are in the last 16 of the Champions League."

De Bruyne's sure making up for lost time, with nine goal involvements in six games since his return.

"I'm getting there, feeling good and the level is good enough for the moment," he said modestly. "I'm just trying to play good football and enjoy myself. It has been a long five-to-six months but I'm just happy to try to help the team win games."

De Bruyne scored the opening goal at atmospheric Parken Stadium with a low finish into the far corner in the 10th minute after running onto Phil Foden's pass on the right side of the area.

Copenhagen, without a competitive match in two months because of the Danish league's midseason break, was outplayed in the first half — by the 20th minute, City had enjoyed 85% possession — but still managed to pull level in the 34th after Ederson's pass out from his area went astray.

It was intercepted by Mohamed Elyounoussi, whose shot was blocked by City defender Ruben Dias. The ball flew toward Copenhagen midfielder Magnus Mattsson, who curled home a first-time shot from edge of the area in a memorable way to mark not only his Copenhagen debut but his first ever Champions League game.

City retook the lead in the first minute of first-half stoppage time. While the build-up wasn't pretty, the finish from Bernardo Silva certainly was.

De Bruyne overran the ball and lunged to make a tackle, inadvertently sending the ball flying into the path of Silva in the area. As the goalkeeper came out, Silva deftly flicked the ball with his left foot up and into the far corner.

The build-up to the third goal in second-half stoppage time was much easier on the eye and again it involved De Bruyne, who ran onto Foden's pass down the inside right channel and cut the ball back to the England midfielder, who slotted home.

"There's no better player in the world at passing the ball," Foden said of De Bruyne.

There was a huge gulf in quality between the English and European champions and a team playing in the Champions League's round of 16 for only the second time — and the first time since 2010-11.

City wasn't even thrown off by an early injury to winger Jack Grealish, who lasted just 21 minutes of his first game in more than a month before being forced off with a suspected right groin injury.

Real Madrid 1, Leipzig 0

After scoring Real Madrid's winner with a mazy solo run, Brahim Díaz jogged to the sideline and spread his arms wide open to celebrate.

He was imitating the trademark goal celebration of Jude Bellingham, the injured teammate he replaced in the starting lineup.

"Oh my god Brahim!!!," Bellingham wrote on X, moments after the goal.

Díaz stepped up in Bellingham's absence, leading Madrid to a win at Leipzig in the round of 16 in the Champions League.

"I really like Jude, from the moment he arrived we've been getting along," Díaz said. "I'm helping him with his Spanish, he is a world-class talent and we are enjoying having him around. He is a great person as well, and I'm very thankful to him."

Bellingham, one of Madrid's best players this season after joining from Borussia Dortmund, couldn't play after spraining his ankle in a Spanish league game this weekend. The England international has 20 goals in 29 games in all competitions this season, including four goals — and three assists — in five Champions League matches. He is expected to be sidelined for two to three weeks.

The return leg will be on March 6 at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid.

In the other Champions League game Tuesday, Manchester City won 3-1 at FC Copenhagen.

Díaz combined some nifty dribbles with a powerful run to get past three Leipzig defenders before hitting the top corner with a left-footed shot from inside the area in the 48th minute.

"I saw they were afraid of coming after me," he said. "I'm happy to have helped with the goal, and with with how the team worked hard to make up for the absence of Jude and the other injured players. It showed that we are still a good team, that we are Real Madrid."

Diaz had to be replaced with an apparent muscle injury late in the game. He walked off the field with ice wrapped around his right calf.

"I don't know what it is, to be honest," the 24-year-old Díaz said. "I'm sure tomorrow we will go through some tests."

Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti again had to improvise in defense, as several players remained injured. He used midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni as one of the central defenders, playing alongside Nacho Fernández.

Leipzig had most of the chances but was denied by some good saves by Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, who has been replacing the injured Thibaut Courtois.

"It wasn't easy," Ancelotti said. "We were dangerous on counterattacks but Lunin played a great match. He is playing with a lot of confidence. We have a slight advantage but there's still a lot to play for."

Leipzig had won the last meeting between the teams in a group-stage game last season.

The German club has qualified for the competition's knockout rounds for the fourth time in five seasons.

Madrid has been in the round of 16 every season since the format was introduced in 2003-04. It has reached at least the semifinals the last three seasons, having won its record-extending 14th European title in 2022.