Miracles in Madrid: City Swept from UCL
Written by RadioVuna on May 5, 2022
REAL MADRID – MANCHESTER CITY 3-1 aet (2-1; 0-0) – agg 6-5 (first leg: 3-4)
A late goal from Real Madrid in stoppage time and extra time were all it took to get the Spanish club to the Champions League final. Manchester City’s disbelief was palpable.
When Real Madrid trailed City 5-3 on aggregate with barely minutes remaining in the second half, it seemed as if they would be knocked out of the Champions League semi-finals.
It was 73 minutes into extra time when Riyad Mahrez scored the only goal of the second leg for City, but Real replacement Rodrygo equalized with a header to make it 5-5 after regular time.
With five minutes left in regulation, Karim Benzema scored from the penalty spot after a Ruben Dias foul and Real Madrid held off the stunned England team to reach the final.
When they came back from a goal down, it was an amazing comeback, but one Real Madrid have been used to this season after exciting victory over Paris Saint Germain and Chelsea in the last 16.
Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid coach, remarked, “It’s the magnificence of this club.” In our club, you can’t quit up even if everything appears to be going your way.” Keep going, struggle, believe in what you’re doing.
A film showcasing eight Real Madrid comebacks this season was shown to the team before to the game, according to Ancelotti.
Once we got to the finish it stated, “One more remaining,” and we did it,” Ancelotti told reporters after becoming the first coach to reach five Champions League finals.
To get through Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea in their respective quarterfinals, Real Madrid had pulled off the most unlikely of rescue acts.
After losing to City in a game they mostly dominated, much like PSG and Chelsea before them, City will be left wondering how they lost and coach Pep Guardiola will face more pressure as he goes another year without bringing City to the European glory they so seek.
“I can’t deny that it’s difficult for us,” stated Guardiola. It was “so near.”
If City had lost to anybody other than Real Madrid, their collapse would have been virtually unfathomable. The Spanish giants have now advanced to their 17th Champions League final. They can win their 14th European Cup with a win against Liverpool.
Before kickoff, a banner said, “Another magnificent night from the rulers of Europe,” yet for the most of regular time this match failed to live up to the seven-goal thriller that took place last week at the Etihad Stadium.
Benzema had a couple of tough chances that he missed, but Real Madrid were the more aggressive in the first half.
Between those two incidents, Luka Modric and Rodri got into a fight following a Casemiro challenge, and City stepped up and forced Madrid into mistakes with Kevin De Bruyne’s long-range strike and Bernardo Silva’s quick reaction save on Thibaut Courtois.
When Modric outpaced De Bruyne in a run to stop the Belgian’s counterattack, the Real Madrid fans erupted into applause.
Dani Carvajal got space down the right and Vinicius Junior went wide at the back post within seconds of the restart. To qualify for the Champions League final, Real Madrid beat Manchester City in extra time.
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