Holders Manchester City were dumped out of the Champions League last night after a dramatic penalty shoot-out.
City dominated against Real Madrid, but were sent out after an agonising sudden-death shoot-out, 4-3 on penalties. Alvarez dispatched City’s first penalty, with Ederson saving Luka Modric’s first spot-kick for Real.
When Bernardo Silva missed, Jude Bellingham scored for Real, to make it 1-1. Mateo Kovacic then saw his penalty saved, to hand Real the advantage.
Lucas Vasquez made it 2-1 to Real, with Phil Foden converting to level at 2-2. Nacho then made it 3-2 to Real, with City keeper Ederson keeping his side alive by scoring to make it 3-3. Antonio Rudiger stepped up to convert the decisive final spot-kick to send Real through to a semi-final meeting with Bayern Munich.
Guardiola, looking for a fourth straight home win over Real, was boosted by the return of Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker, both of whom missed last week’s epic 3-3 draw at the Bernabeu.
Real welcomed back captain Nacho in central defence, to replace the suspended Aurelien Tchouameni, that the only change from the first leg for the 14-time winners.
The holders against the side Guardiola branded the “Kings of the competition” for their peerless record of victories, this meeting between arguably the two best teams in Europe was a final in all but name.
Guardiola spelt out the size of the game in his programme notes, writing: “A Champions League quarter-final second-leg against Real Madrid – games don’t come much bigger, guys.”
It was Real who drew first blood in the 12th minute, Jude Bellingham applying a sublime first touch to an over the top ball from ani Carvajal. Bellingham funnelled the ball out wide to Federico Valverde, who in turn found Vinicius Jr down the right.
Vinicius picked out Rodrygo, whose first time shot was repelled by a remarkable reflex save from Ederson, but the ball went straight back into the path of the Real forward, who steered it into the net for his 17th goal of the season.
City’s response was immediate, Erling Haaland heading just over in the 16th minute, the clipping the bar with another looping header two minutes later, Bernardo Silva managing to nudge the ball wide with his left knee.
With Vinicius causing panic in the City defence whenever he was in possession, the Brazilian drew three opponents to him on the edge of the box, before laying the ball off to Carvajal, whose shot was blocked by Josko Gvardiol.
The rest of the first-half – and thereafter the game – belonged to City. De Bruyne forced a fine save from Andriy Lunin in the 26th minute, with a trademark strike from long-range. City kept up their relentless pressure, Real’s only respite coming when they hit their opponents on the break, with the pace of Rodrygo and Vinicius.
Carvajal, tormented by Grealish throughout the first-half, was booked for a cynical foul on the City winger, then moved inside, unwilling to risk another caution and a red card, leaving Valverde to mark the England star.
De Bruyne came close to scoring directly from a corner just before the break, Lunin alert enough to tip the ball over the bar with a vital intervention. City came close again six minutes after the restart, Nacho clearing the ball off the line – and avoiding an own goal – with Haaland breathing down his neck.
But De Bruyne’s unremitting work ethic and desire paid off. Substitute Jeremy Doku’s cross was met by Antonio Rudiger, whose mistake was seized upon by De Bruyne, who crashed the ball into the roof of the net with 14 minutes to go.
The Belgian came close to putting City ahead three minutes later, but his curling effort from 20 yards out flew just over. De Bruyne then somehow skied the ball over with the goal at his mercy in the 81st minute, spurning a glorious chance to win the tie in normal time.
