The all-time kings of Europe moved a step closer to a
record-extending 15th title in the competition they have dominated after a 4-3
win Wednesday on penalties at Etihad Stadium.
But not before being pushed to the limit by defending
champion City.
“I was pretty much dead on my feet at the end,” Madrid
midfielder Jude Bellingham said. “It’s so difficult. They are continuously
probing with the ball and move you around. Most teams would fall apart when
City get on top of you, but we stood up really well.”
The game had gone to the uncertainty of a shootout after
ending 1-1 on the night and 4-4 on aggregate.
City dominated the chances after going behind to Rodrygo’s
goal in the 12th minute, but only had Kevin de Bruyne’s leveler in the 76th to
show for its superiority, which included 64% of possession and 18 corners to
Madrid’s one through extra time.
That counted for little as Antonio Rudiger struck the
decisive spot kick after Bernardo Silva and Mateo Kovacic both saw their
penalties saved.
“In this competition, that’s the way football happens,” City
manager Pep Guardiola said. “In other sports, for (these) statistics, we would
have won.”
Guardiola had few complaints. He accepted his team had
failed to capitalize against a Madrid team that was forced to defend deep
against wave after wave of attack.
Erling Haaland hit the bar with one header in the first half
De Bruyne sent an effort sailing over from inside the box in the second.
Madrid dug deep, held on and now faces Bayern Munich in the
semifinals after the Germans beat Arsenal 1-0 on Wednesday and 3-2 on
aggregate.
“Today it came down to mentality,” Bellingham said.
The defeat ended City’s bid to become the first English team
to win back-to-back Champions League titles and its pursuit of successive
trebles. It is still challenging for the Premier League title and FA Cup.
Victory for Madrid saw the Spanish giant advance to the
semifinals for the fourth year in row — denying City the chance to emulate that
feat.
“This was about survival,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti
said. “Madrid is a club based on always fighting to stay in situations where
there seems to be no way out – but we always find a way. By the time the
penalty shoot-out came, we were totally convinced we’d go through.”
Ancelotti has already won the Champions League a record four
times as a coach — one more than Guardiola — and could extend that record by
lifting the trophy for a third time with Madrid.
For Guardiola it is back to the drawing board after watching
his team to relinquish the trophy it won for the first time last year and
ending his own 12-year wait to triumph again in European club soccer’s most
demanding competition.
“I have to say thank you to these players from deep in my
heart because the way they played. But football is about winning and we didn’t
do enough, yet we were exceptional,” he said.
This was the third straight season Madrid and City have
clashed in the Champions League in what is becoming a classic rivalry. The
winner of their meetings going on to win the competition in each of the past
two years.
Madrid avenged last year’s loss when its defense of the
trophy was ended by a 4-0 rout at the hands of City in the semifinals.
England midfielder Bellingham was pivotal to Madrid’s opener
with a moment of brilliance to open City up. Collecting a high ball just past
the halfway line, he shook off the attention of Rodri with a deft touch to
wrong-foot his opponent.
The ball was worked to VinÃcius Junior on the right who
crossed to Rodrygo, who beat Ederson at the second attempt after his first shot
was saved.
That pressure eventually paid off when De Bruyne leveled the
game, lifting the ball high into the net after Rudiger could only partially
clear a cross from substitute Jeremy Doku.
With no further goals in extra time, the game went to a
shootout and City immediately seized the advantage after Julian Alvarez
converted his opening penalty and Luka Modric’s effort was saved.
But Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin then saved successive
spot kicks from Silva and Kovacic to swing the balance in the visitors’ favor.
Silva’s attempt was right down the middle and easily caught chest-high by
Lunin.
It came down to Rudiger to take the winning kick that sent
Madrid fans wild and City supporters home.
“We suffered a lot tonight because City really put you under
the cosh (pressure),” Madrid captain Nacho said. “But we are Real Madrid. We
always, always fight until the very end.” AP
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