Manchester City 1-1 Real Madrid (De Bruyne 76′ | Rodrygo 12′) – Real Madrid advance 4-3 on penalties (4-4 agg.)
ETIHAD STADIUM — Manchester City’s defence of their Champions League trophy and their chance of becoming the first English side to win the Double-Treble were destroyed by a masterfully devilish and defensive display by Real Madrid.
For 120 minutes they weathered a Manchester City storm of 33 shots to steal the game in the penalty shootout.
Madrid infuriated the home crowd — and Manchester City’s players — by taking lengthy stoppages at every opportunity, not long after taking an early lead. It was not so noticeable in the first half, but by the second it ramped up tension and intensity in the febrile stadium.
Those few extra seconds at goal kicks, on the floor after routine challenges, taking throw-ins, the jaws held after alleged elbows, all chipped away at the clock.
City threw the kitchen sink at them — plus the oven, the fridge, the Air Fryer and most of the furniture in the living room — and equalised with 14 minutes remaining but Madrid took the game to penalties then stole into the semi-finals.
Their entire defensive approach was constructed on the foundations of a 12th-minute lead.
If ever a touch has made a goal it was Jude Bellingham’s in the build-up to Real Madrid’s opener. Rarely would you argue that an assist was more important than the finish, but this extraordinary case, from an extraordinary footballer, was an exception to the rule.
For all the quality on show, the ball was hoofed up the pitch from Real Madrid’s defence and the move would’ve been over before it began had Bellingham not caught the ball on the tip of his toe.
If one day there really is a meteor heading to earth on course to destroy the human race they will have only to stick Bellingham underneath it to save us all.
Jude Bellingham celebrating in the crowd after beating Man City on pens
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 17, 2024pic.twitter.com/UeGaBksfiF
From there the rest was all rather underwhelming, the ball worked swiftly to Vinicius Junior who crossed low. Rodrygo’s first effort flew off his shin, but when the ball came back out from Ederson’s save the Brazilian tucked it away.
Real Madrid had a 12th-minute lead and the stadium was stunned. But from then it was almost all City attack. It was brazen of Carlo Ancelotti to come to the Etihad after that 3-3 draw in Madrid and defend but perhaps that is all a team can hope to beat this phenomenal City team that in each position boasts world-leading players and backups.
Jack Grealish pecked away at Madrid’s defence with his twisty dribbles and unpredictable feet, winning corners with efforts that went wide of either post.
Erling Haaland, destined either for the Ballon d’Or or League Two depending on which pundits you follow, rattled the crossbar with a towering header. When the ball dropped to Bernardo Silva, he had the whole goal to aim at but, in a rare moment of panic, went with his left knee and missed.
City had clearly identified a weakness from Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin at corners, Kevin De Bruyne repeatedly making attempts to shoot directly with in-swingers. Somewhat remarkably, De Bruyne hit the target at least three times, but each time Lunin stood up to the test.
Desperately chasing an equaliser, Pep Guardiola threw the chaos factor into the mix by replacing Grealish, who had been good, with Jeremy Doku in the 72nd minute. And it finally cracked Madrid’s defence.
Four minutes later Doku dribbled in from the left and crossed low and though Antonio Rudiger got a toe to the ball, De Bruyne was there to equalise.
Even with the score level, in extra time the referee had to help Vinicius Junior off the field when he was substituted and remained sat on the pitch, as though unable to get to his feet. And Dani Carvajal hobbled off as slowly as possible with cramp.
It was just enough for Madrid to hobble into penalties and the semi-finals of the Champions League.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/NrEfiG7
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