MAN CITY 1, REAL MADRID 1
(4-4 on aggregate after extra time. Real Madrid won 4-3 on penalties)
Manchester City’s defence of their Champions League crown ended in heartbreak with a dramatic penalty shootout defeat to Real Madrid in their last-eight tie.
There was high drama as the second leg at the Etihad ended 1-1 after 120 minutes of enthralling football with City attacking and the Spaniards producing a highly disciplined defensive display.
City enjoyed two third possession and had 33 goal attempts to Real’s eight, a measure of their territorial dominance.
Brazilian Rodrygo had put Real ahead early in the game with Kevin De Bruyne drawing City level late on.
With the tie 4-4 after two enthralling games, the outcome was settled on penalties with City stumbling as Bernardo Silva and Mateo Kovacic had kicks saved.
In the end, it was former Chelsea player Antonio Rudiger who fired home the winning kick to end English interest as Arsenal also bowed out in the quarter finals.
City manager Pep Guardiola said: “The performance and commitment was exceptional. We were at our best, but it was not good enough. It happened. It is what it is.
“We played exceptional is all departments. I couldn’t see what we could have done more. Unfortunately, we couldn’t win – that’s it.
“We created chances, had lots of shots and ones which were blocked. We just couldn’t open the door.
“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.
Embed from Getty Images“Sometimes you can win on penalties and sometimes you cannot. But in the game, we did not convert the chances that we had. Everyone performed at a high level.
“Congratulations to Real Madrid who defended so deep and with solidarity.”
Guardiola added his team selection for Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea will be determined by how the players react and recover.
“Winning is easier,” he explained.
Kyle Walker returned to the City starting line-up after recovering from the hamstring injury he suffered on international duty last month.
De Bruyne was also included ahead of Kovacic after missing last week’s first leg in Madrid because of illness.
Manuel Akanji moved from right-back to central defence with John Stones on the bench where he was joined by Nathan Ake who had recovered from a calf problem.
Nacho replaced the suspended Aurelien Tchouameni at the back, the only change to the visitors from last week’s first leg.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti opted not to bring an additional player into his squad, so has gone with 10 substitutes.
Among them were former City youngster Brahim Diaz and veteran Croatia midfielder Luka Modric.
Jude Bellingham offered support to Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo in the Real Madrid attack.
After a cagey opening, Real carved out the first chance after 10 minutes when a curling shot from Eduardo Camavinga forced a diving save from Ederson.
City failed to heed the warning as Real snatched the lead two minutes later on the break.
Vinicius Junior forced over a low cross from the right, Rodrygo’s initial shot was well kept out by Ederson. but the rebound fell invitingly to the same player who fired home from six yards, his fourth goal against City.
City ramped up the pressure in pursuit of an equaliser as Erling Haaland went close with two headers, the second of which struck the bar with Bernardo Silva putting the rebound wide.
De Bruyne then made a break from deep before his long-range strike was pushed to safety by keeper Andriy Lunin.
Haaland then had an effort deflected into the side netting after being set up by Haaland as City dominated the ball.
City remained on the front foot from the restart and Nacho, under pressure from Haaland, knocked the ball past his own keeper before saving the day with a goalline clearance.
It was proving a frustrating night for City against a well drilled and disciplined Real defence.
Guardiola made his first change with 18 minutes left as Grealish was replaced by Jeremy Doku.
And within four minutes Doku had transformed City’s fortunes as he set up the equaliser.
Doku drove in a low cross from the left which was only cleared by Antonio Rudiger as far as De Bruyne who lashed an angled shot into the roof of the net.
City were the team with the momentum and De Bruyne had two great chances in quick succession to put City ahead, but he fired over both times, the latter a glaring miss from 10 yards.
Haaland limped off in the break before extra time to be replaced by Julian Alvarez.
Rudiger had a great chance to put Read ahead in stoppage time at the end of the opening half of extra time, but he fired over on the turn from close range.
There were two further City changes in the 112th minute, Mateo Kovacic and Stones for De Bruyne and Akanji.